Father of tennis star Mark Philippoussis arrested on child abuse charges
July 26, 2017 · By news.sky.com
The father of Mark Philippoussis is suspected of sexually abusing two children – including one under the age of 10.
Mark Philippoussis during practise in Sydney, as his father looks on
The father of Australian tennis star Mark Philippoussis has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing children.
Nikolaos Philippoussis, 68, is expected to be formally charged on Wednesday. He is currently in jail in San Diego, on a bond of £1.9m ($2.5m).
He was booked under suspicion of crimes including sexual intercourse with a child under 10 and lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14, according the the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department inmate tracking website.
The case has made headlines in San Diego, where Mr Philippoussis gives personal tennis lessons.
Mark Philippoussis, who retired from professional tennis in 2015, is not suspected of any wrongdoing. The player is a star in his native Australia, and at the height of his career reached a top ranking of Number 8 in the world.
“There has been nothing in the investigation that would make us believe he has anything to do with this,” Lieutenant Greg Rylaarsdam, of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, said.
Mr Rylaarsdam stressed that the investigation was in its early stages and said police were interested in speaking with members of the public who had knowledge about the case.
