Sky Sports commentators called Alexander Zverev out for thinking he was “above the rules” after the German launched a ferocious outburst in Shanghai.
After receiving a not-up call during his third-round match, Zverev stormed to the chair and declared that “umpires are f***ing up the tournament this year”.
As he continued to rant about how many matches he’d played, Colin Fleming blasted his “ridiculous” comments.
Mohamed Lahyani became the latest umpire to be pulled into drama at the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday. Just an hour after Frances Tiafoe launched a sweary tirade at another chair official on the Grandstand court, Zverev launched a verbal onslaught.
The world No. 3 chased down a ball during his third-round clash with Tallon Griekspoor but Lahyani ruled that he failed to get there in time. TV replays confirmed that the bounced twice before Zverev returned it. The 27-year-old immediately disagreed.
“How on earth are you calling that? I got the ball completely clean?” he shouted. When the umpire tried to speak to Zverev, he interrupted to go on a furious rant.
The German continued: “Let me say something, you guys umpires are f***ing up the whole tournament this year. Completely.
“Carlos Bernardes completely messed up Stan [Wawrinka]’s match yesterday. The guy doing Tiafoe’s match completely messed up Tiafoe’s match. And now this.”
The 2020 Olympic champion threw his racket as he skulked back to the baseline and received a code violation. He swiftly returned to the chair to continue his debate with Lahyani.
“I’ve played more than 80 matches this year, with injuries, with illness, with everything. And I cannot be bothered to go to China in October for you to screw up this. This is not possible. I’ve been playing for nine months now,” Zverev proclaimed.
After questioning the umpire’s decision to give him a warning, the world No. 3 finally continued the match as both Sky Sports commentators were left aghast by his outburst. “Apologies for the third time in the last hour for the language of players. Lahyani has got the call absolutely right again,” Jonathan Overend said.
But Fleming wasn’t pulling any punches. He replied: “This is just – I mean, Zverev is having one here, isn’t he? I mean, how does the fact that he’s played a lot of matches in nine months and he’s in China, how does that change the rules? It’s ridiculous. He’s someone who thinks he’s above the rules.”
The tirade continued into the changeover after Griekspoor held to lead 6-5. Zverev added: “I have a Grand Slam final, I lose it because of your guys’ mistake. I’m here running my a*** off with the illness, you guys still do mistakes.
“You guys decide the whole match. You guys decide the outcome of tournaments every week. What am I putting effort for in? What am I putting the effort in for? What am I doing it for then? What am I doing it for?”
The umpire continued to try and reason with Zverev, telling him that mistakes happened in sport. The former finalist in Shanghai added: ” It’s enough now because you’re sitting on a comfortable chair whilst I’m running my a*** off at 9pm and I’ve been doing it for nine months now this year.”
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