Nicolas Kicker opted to withdraw from his match against Gustavo Heide during the quarter-finals of an ATP Challenger Tour event in Florianopolis, Brazil. At the time of withdrawal, Kicker was trailing 6-2 in the first set and 5-1 in the second set.

During the seventh game when the score was tied, Heide gained an advantage, leading to Kicker choosing to forfeit the match by shaking hands with the chair umpire and his opponent.

Kicker, a former world No.78, holds the unfortunate record of being the highest-ranked tennis professional convicted of match-fixing, resulting in a six-year suspension in 2018. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) reduced the suspension by three years under certain conditions, following his involvement in manipulating two Challenger tournament matches in 2015.

After an appeal process and contribution to an educational initiative by the ITIA, Kicker’s suspension was shortened by four months. He collaborated on an educational video for the ITIA, recounting his involvement in corruption and cautioning fellow players about the repercussions.

Reflecting on his past, Kicker expressed regret for his actions which led to the suspension, acknowledging the significant impact it had on his promising career. He admitted to being dependent on his parents for financial support and recounted a situation where he was approached through Facebook by individuals posing as supporters offering financial assistance, only to reveal themselves as match-fixing syndicate members.

Despite the ordeal, Kicker described the experience of intentionally losing a match as “horrible” and acknowledged that his reputation within the tennis community remains tarnished.