Zverev withdrawn from Mexican Open for smashing racket on umpire chair
The Association of Tennis Professionals announces the expulsion of German player Alexander Zverev from the Mexican Open championship after smashing his racket on the umpire's chair.
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German Olympic tennis champion Alexander Zverev.
German Olympic tennis champion Alexander Zverev has been expelled from the Mexican Open in Acapulco after smashing his racket on the umpire's chair several times and directing a foul-mouthed rant at the official, the ATP announced Wednesday.
"Due to unsportsmanlike conduct at the conclusion of his doubles match on Tuesday night, Alexander Zverev has been withdrawn from the tournament in Acapulco," the governing body for men's tennis tweeted.
Aviso importante @atptour
— Abierto Mexicano (@AbiertoTelcel) February 23, 2022
Due to unsportsmanlike conduct at the conclusion of his doubles match on Tuesday night, Alexander Zverev has been withdrawn from the tournament in Acapulco.
Zverev - ranked number three in the world - lost his temper when he and doubles partner Marcelo Melo of Brazil lost 6-2, 4-6, 10-6 to Britain's Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliövaara of Finland.
The 24-year-old defending champion smashed his racket three times just below umpire Alessandro Germani's feet, before taking his seat and then rising again to verbally abuse the official and smash the chair one last time. He had apparently been angered by a line call during the match.
This is awful from Alexander Zverev. Takes more than one swipe to almost hit the umpire pic.twitter.com/R358EIZ9St
— Nathan Salt (@NathSalt1) February 23, 2022
The German had been involved in a three-hour 20-minute first-round singles match win against American Jenson Brooksby that had finished early Tuesday morning -- the latest-ever finish to a professional tennis match.
Facing controversy
Zverev is no stranger to controversy, as he is still being investigated by the ATP over allegations he was violent towards a former girlfriend - a claim he repeatedly denies.
In June 2020, he was heavily criticized after being seen partying in a bar, when he had promised to self-isolate for two weeks, following his participation in a tournament organized by tennis number one Novak Djokovic.
