SUMMARY
- Alexander Zverev took on Cameron Norrie for a spot in the semifinals.
- A pro-Palestine protestor interrupted his match, and play had to be halted.
The Australian Open has exceeded expectations so far, giving the fans a memorable tournament. There has not been any shortage of drama either, and Alexander Zverev can attest to that. The security at the event had been very tight until an interruption caused Zverev to raise questions about the protection of the players.
Zverev took to the courts this year, hoping to win the first major title of his career. He locked horns with Cameron Norrie for a spot in the semifinals in Melbourne. Both players were battling it out when an incident stopped the play during the third set.
A protestor threw leaflets onto the court as Zverev was duking it out with Norrie. The leaflets were found to be in protest of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine in Gaza. “War crimes and genocide. Free Palestine,” read the leaflets.
protestors were throwing papers on the court in the direction of Zverev on MCA pic.twitter.com/K4AHNbCuqo
— Ryan (@Some1NamedRyan) January 22, 2024
The commentators were not happy with the interruption at all. Moreover, other spectators took it upon themselves to remove the protestor from the Margaret Court Arena.
Match interruptions have happened often in previous major tournaments. The Australian Open organizers took a hard stance on the war this year, and in light of their decision, security had also been amplified. However, the dissenter still found a way.
It broke the players’ rhythm, but Alexander Zverev found a way to walk away with a victory. However, he was not happy about it at all, and he made his feelings known.
Alexander Zverev slams the security at the Australian Open
The German player took on Norrie in a thrilling five-setter, which saw a fan interrupt the match. Nevertheless, Zverev defeated Cameron 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (10-3), in a match that lasted over four hours.
With no security in sight, two other spectators dragged her off the stands. Following the match, Zverev slammed the irony of the security. He said that security is very tight on-site, and he was not allowed to enter the gym because he forgot his credentials. However, they were not around when the interruption happened.
Masked pro-Palestinian protester throws anti-war papers on Australian Open court
“When something like this happens, it shouldn’t be another fan dragging the other person out. It should be the security guys,” says Olympic champion Alexander Zverevhttps://t.co/r6weARAaAX
— National Post (@nationalpost) January 22, 2024
“I think when something like this happens, it shouldn’t be another fan dragging the other person out. It should be the security guys that should be there quite quickly. It shouldn’t take them three, four minutes, that long,” he said (via Express UK).
Alexander Zverev has been involved in a few tough matches en route to the semifinals. He will face his toughest opponent when he takes on Carlos Alcaraz next.
