Constant Lestienne, who has been denied a French Open wild card, says the infraction that cost him a spot in the draw on the men's French Open final.
The French tennis federation (FFT) announced it was withdrawing its wild card to the 206th-ranked player because he was under investigation by the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) for a "minor violation" of the rules. No details were given.
The 23-year-old Frenchman had been scheduled to make his first Grand Slam appearance, but said he was stunned to find "my dream had collapsed on the eve of the draw."
"Like many of my generation, I have an online account which I use for Parisian sports," he said in a statement published by the French press.
He added that he had not wagered on tennis since 2013, except on this occasion, and that will prevent him from participating.
"I had 2.90 Euros in winnings that I wagered on the final of Roland Garros, [which featured Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka],” he said. “[It was] such a small amount [that] I did not imagine for an instant there would be consequences. It did not have any influence on the match. I won, also, 1.40 Euros. In two hours I realized my mistake, but the damage was done."
However, he argued that the federation's decision was too strict.
“I find the sanction disproportionate to the facts,” he said. “It was a demand for information, to which I have complied for six months, and to date no decision has been announced by the TIU."
Had he played in the French Open and lost in the first round, he would have taken home 30,000 Euros ($33,664.50 USD).
Players are prohibited from betting on tennis matches. In a statement, the FFT had said the step was taken to show that there was no tolerance for "unethical conduct."
Tournament organizers said they would look at giving the wild card to another player, but the selection is not straightforward because the qualifying event had begun.