Racket hit on umpire’s chair, Alexander Zverev banned for 8 weeks
Tennis
By-Antriksh
New Delhi, March 8:
World number three Alexander Zverev has been handed an eight-week ban by the ATP for breaking a racket against the umpire’s chair at the ATP 500 event in Acapulco last month. This player has been notorious for his violent behavior. Zverev is known to be a warm minded player.
Zverev was fined $20,000 for verbal misconduct, $20,000 for anti-sports behavior and more than $31,000 in prize money. As well as all ranking points he achieved in singles and doubles matches in the Eberto Mexicano tournament.
After a review, the ATP found that the 24-year-old German had “behaved profusely” and issued an additional $25,000 fine and an eight-week ban from any ATP event.
The ATP, however, suspended the ban and the additional fine for the time being. During this, the player has got a year’s time which will be considered since the incident when Zverev hit the chair with a racket.
After losing a doubles match in Acapulco and being troubled by line calls in the match, Zverev approached umpire Alessandro’s chair and began hitting the racket there. He hit the racket several times.
Defending singles champion Zverev apologized for his behaviour. The biggest ever fine in men’s tennis was awarded to Australian Nick Kyrgios in 2019 for verbally abusing a chair umpire and breaking two rackets. After an initial fine of $113,000, he was given a 16-week suspension ban and an additional $25,000 fine.
Story first published: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 16:28 [IST]
