Zverev fined $40K, loses prize money, points for outburst
Feb 23, 2022, 11:31 PM | Updated: Feb 24, 2022, 1:33 pm
In this photo released by MexTenis, third-ranked Alexander Zverev of Germany smashes his racket on the umpire's chair moments after losing a doubles match of the Mexican Open tennis tournament in Acapulco, Mexico, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Zverev was thrown out of the Mexican Open after he struck the umpire's chair three times, sat for a moment, then got back up and yelled at umpire Alessandro Germani that he "destroyed the whole (expletive) match" and struck the chair once more with his racket as the umpire climbed down. (Marcos Dominguez/MexTenis via AP)
(Marcos Dominguez/MexTenis via AP)
ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) — Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Alexander Zverev was fined $40,000 by the men’s professional tennis tour and will forfeit more than $30,000 in prize money and all rankings points from the Mexican Open after hitting the chair umpire’s stand with his racket following a loss in doubles.
In addition to those penalties, the ATP announced Thursday it would undertake “a further review of the incident.”
Zverev was the 2020 U.S. Open runner-up. He is currently ranked No. 3 and was the defending singles champion in Acapulco.
The 24-year-old German was kicked out of the tournament after yelling and cursing at official Alessandro Germani and violently striking the umpire’s chair no fewer than four times.
Zverev and partner Marcelo Melo had just lost a doubles match to Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara. Just before the match ended, Germani gave Zverev a code violation for yelling and swearing while arguing about a shot that was ruled in, setting up match point.
The ATP said Zverev was fined $20,000 each for verbal abuse and unsportsmanlike conduct, the maximum penalty for each violation.
He loses his full prize money for singles and doubles of $31,570 and all rankings points earned at the tournament.
In October, the ATP opened an investigation into a former girlfriend’s accusations of domestic abuse by Zverev. The former girlfriend first made the accusations in 2020.
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