PARIS, September 21, 2016

French tennis player Constant Lestienne has been suspended for seven months and fined $10,000 for gambling on tennis matches, the Tennis Integrity Unit announced on Wednesday.

The International Tennis Federation, which investigated Lestienne in collaboration with French online gambling regulator ARJEL, says the world number 164 placed bets on 220 matches through online accounts between February 2012 and June 2015. None of the bets placed involved matches in which Lestienne was playing.

The 24-year-old advanced to the semi-finals of the Pekao Szczecin Open last week and entered the qualifying of the ATP 250 event in Metz, where he won the opening round but withdrew ahead of his next match. He captured one ATP Challenger title in Ostrava as well as one ITF Future title in France this season.

If Lestienne gives assistance to the Tennis Integrity Unit, which was formed in 2008 by the ATP and WTA Tours, the ITF as well as the Grand Slam Committee, the Frenchman’s fine will be reduced to $5,000.