Nicolas Kicker decided to retire from his quarter-final match against Gustavo Heide during an ATP Challenger Tour event in Florianopolis, Brazil. Kicker, who had lost the first set 6-2 and was behind 5-1 in the second set, called it quits while facing match point.

The 33-year-old, a former world No.78, holds the unfortunate record of being the highest-ranked tennis professional convicted of match-fixing. In 2018, he received a six-year suspension for manipulating two Challenger tournament matches in 2015.

After an appeal, Kicker’s ban was reduced by four months when he collaborated with the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on an educational initiative. He contributed to creating a video for ITIA, detailing his involvement in corruption and cautioning other players about the repercussions.

Reflecting on his past, Kicker expressed regret over his mistake that led to the suspension, acknowledging the impact it had on his career. He admitted to depending on his parents for financial support and falling into a trap set by individuals who posed as supporters but were, in fact, match-fixing syndicate members.

Kicker described the experience of intentionally losing a match as “horrible” and recognized that his reputation in the tennis world remains tainted.