MADRID—Fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko pulled out of the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Masters with a right elbow injury on Tuesday, a day after the ATP announced he had become the fourth player to qualify for the year-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai.
Speaking to reporters following his withdrawal, Davydenko was also questioned about the ongoing investigation into irregular betting patterns during one of his matches – a loss to Martin Vassallo Arguello in August at Sopot. "It's already damaged my reputation... starting in America two months [ago]," he said. "I'm already qualified for Shanghai and I did good results so I don't care now."
Davydenko also took another swipe at comments made by Andy Murray which were broadcast by BBC Radio last week.
Asked about the controversy surrounding gambling in the sport since betting exchange Betfair voided bets on the Davydenko-Vassalo Arguello match in July, Murray said, "Everyone knows it goes on."He has since said he was referring to the extent of gambling on tennis and reports of players saying they were offered money to lose matches.
But Davydenko attacked Murray for giving the impression that players could be involved in gambling or match-fixing.
"I never played in casinos or something like that, I don't know internet addresses [of online gambling sites]. Murray just knows players play and I don't know how. That's what is interesting for me, what he knows and from who he knows," said Davydenko, who voiced similar sentiments last week in Moscow.
"I don't know how Murray got information. Maybe he plays, that's [why] he knows, I don't know. For me it's surprising."
Speaking in Madrid, the Russian also said he felt Murray's comments were a publicity stunt. "[He's] trying to be more famous by using the tour. Because if he tells something, then he knows.From him, it's stupid to tell something like this. Normally, nobody knows. You should ask him.
"I don't know him, and don't speak to him. He's from England [actually Scotland], that's all I know."
Davydenko, who will fly to Germany to seek treatment for his elbow, said he will not have a discussion with officials about the investigation this week. He was interviewed by investigators at the end of September. "I'm not going to talk to the ATP about this," he said. "I just told them I'm withdrawing from here."