Alexander Zverev had been booted out of the ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco, Mexico. He faced a hefty punishment after hitting an umpire’s chair three times with his racket following a doubles match loss. He paid a hefty fine of $40,000, which got placed on him on-court.
Previously Zverev received a code violation after yelling and swearing in protest of a shot that was ruled in, setting up match point.
Zverev approached the umpire’s chair after shaking hands with the opponents. He hit the chair repeatedly before heading toward his court-side seat. The reaction was due to a line call during the match.
He approached the chair a second time and once again hit it while shouting expletives. Alessandro Germani, the chair umpire pulled his feet back at one point for fear of being hit.
Alexander Zverev suspended for eight weeks
Alexander Zverev has been handed a suspended eight-week ban for smashing his racket against the umpire’s chair in the ATP 500 event in Acapulco. He also got expelled from the tournament.
Previously Zverev was fined $20,000 for verbal abuse and $20,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct. He also had to forfeit more than $31,000 in prize money and all rankings points earned from singles and doubles action at the 2022 Abierto Mexicano tournament.
Sascha has been put on probation by the Association of Tennis Professionals for one year. If Zverev receives a code violation that results in a fine for unsportsmanlike conduct or for “verbal or physical abuse of an official, opponent, spectator or any other person while on-court or on-site,” he will be suspended from ATP events for eight weeks and fined an additional $25,000, the men’s tennis tour announced.
Miro Bratoev, the ATP senior vice-president of rules and competition, conducted a review of what happened in Acapulco. He determined that Zverev committed what is termed aggravated behaviour under the major offence section of the ATP rulebook.
The ATP characterised the decision as issuing Zverev a fine and suspension that are being “withheld,” unless his behaviour warrants the punishments. The dreadful probation ends on February 22, 2023; which is one year after the dramatic episode in Acapulco, Mexico.
