Serbian tennis player handed 24-year ban for match-fixing

Serbian tennis player Stefan Milicevic has been handed a massive 24-year suspension and fined US$70,000 after being found guilty of match-fixing and recruiting other players into a corrupt network.

By the time the 29-year-old becomes eligible to return to the sport in October 2050, he will be 53 years old. The sanction, announced by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on Oct. 15, most likely ending the Serbian player’s professional career.

According to the ITIA, Milicevic was directly involved in six fixed matches, five of which he played in and attempted to manipulate six others between 2022 and 2024. Furthermore, he actively recruited or sought to involve fellow professionals in the scheme, operating a network that led other players to engage in match-fixing with him.

An investigation was conducted throughout 2026. The ITIA stated that it attempted to contact Milicevic seven times through various communication channels, but he did not participate or cooperate, New York Post reported.

On Sept. 24, the agency issued a formal notice regarding his serious violations, to which he again provided no response. Under the final ruling, the 24-year ban and the $70,000 fine officially took effect on Oct. 9, 2026.

During the lengthy suspension period, Milicevic is strictly prohibited from competing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis events organized or sanctioned by the sport's governing bodies. This ban covers all events run by the ATP, WTA, Grand Slam tournaments, and national federations.

The announcement did not specify which exact matches were fixed, nor did it disclose the identities of the other players involved or the amount of profit he gained, according to ESPN.

While Milicevic is not a recognizable figure on the major tennis stages, having achieved a career-high ATP singles ranking of only 1,338 in August 2014, he enjoyed successful years within the U.S. collegiate tennis system.

According to University of Minnesota records, the Belgrade-born player had 81 wins and 39 losses over four seasons. He reached a career-high ranking of 33rd in U.S. collegiate men’s singles during the fall of 2019 and was named to the All-Big Ten First Team in 2020. Off the court, as a student in the supply chain and business management major, he also earned numerous accolades for his academic achievements.

Following the conclusion of his collegiate career at Minnesota in the 2019–2020 season, Milicevic transitioned into coaching. DePaul University previously confirmed that he joined their men’s tennis program as a graduate in the 2021–2022 season. University records also note that as a youth player, he won six Tennis Europe titles and one ITF junior title.

His past highlights how the impact of the ITIA suspension extends beyond his career. Milicevic had begun to forge a promising path in collegiate coaching, but he is now completely barred from holding such roles at any covered events. The ITIA announcement contains no information linking his previous coaching work at DePaul to any of the match-fixing activities.

The sanction handed to Milicevic is longer than those given in several other recent match-fixing cases handled by the ITIA. In December 2025, French player Quentin Folliot was issued a 20-year ban and a $70,000 fine following 27 violations of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program. Also that month, China’s Pang Renlong was handed a 12-year suspension for fixing or attempting to fix 22 matches over a five-month period. There is currently no confirmation as to whether these two cases are linked to Milicevic’s network.