Why Was Yana Sizikova Arrested at the French Open?

Russian tennis player Yana Sizikova has been arrested in France as part of an investigation into match-fixing.

According to reports from Reuters and French newspaper Le Parisien, the 26-year-old was taken into custody on Thursday night.

Her arrest is related to an investigation into "sports corruption" and "organized gang fraud" that French authorities opened in fall 2020, looking into unusual betting patterns at several tournaments, including the 2020 French Open.

Sizikova's arrest specifically relates to her first-round appearance in the women's doubles tournament alongside Madison Brengle of the U.S. against Romanians Andreea Mitu and Patricia Maria Tig, which Sizikova and Brengle lost in straight sets 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.

Hundreds of thousands of euros were reportedly wagered on a break of serve with the score at 2-2 in the second set. Sizikova double-faulted twice in the game and lost her serve to love—that is to say she did not score a single point during the game.

Before her arrest on Thursday, Sizikova, an 11-year veteran doubles specialist, lost 6-1, 6-1 in her opening round doubles match of the 2021 French Open, while playing alongside fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova against Australian duo Ajla Tomljanovic and Strom Sanders.

Russian news agencies RIA and TASS reported the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF) had been informed of Sizikova's arrest and were working together with the Russian embassy in Paris.

Speaking to RIA, RTF president Shamil Tarpischev said details on the case remained sketchy for the time being.

"We have not received any documents [regarding the case], so it's difficult to make an assessment of what has happened," he was quoted as saying.

Sizikova is currently the No. 101-ranked player in the Women's Tennis Association's doubles ranking and the No. 765 in the singles rankings. Her career-bests are 89th in the doubles ranking and 336 in the singles rankings.

The Russian has won 350 of her 520 doubles matches in the 11 years since turning professional, winning one WTA title in her career—in 2019 when she and fellow Russian Anastasia Potapova defeated Australia's Monique Adamczak and China's Han Xinyun 6-2, 6-4 in the final of the Swiss Open.

The Moscow native has earned a total of $206,617 in prize money in her career, including just over $23,900 in 2021.

In an emailed statement, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) told Newsweek that this was "a matter for the French police and so we have no comment to make currently."

Newsweek has contacted the Russian Tennis Federation for comment.