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German Alexander Zverev hits the umpire’s chair with his racket after the end of his Mexico ATP Open 500 doubles tennis match in Acapulco, Mexico, February 23, 2022. — AFP pic
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TORONTO, Feb 25 — World number three Alexander Zverev, who was kicked out of this week’s ATP 500 event in Acapulco after violently smashing his racket repeatedly against the umpire’s chair, has been fined US$40,000 (RM168,040) and faces a further review, the ATP said on Thursday.
Zverev was fined US$20,000 for verbal abuse, US$20,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and will forfeit more than US$31,000 in prize money and all rankings points earned from singles and doubles action at the Abierto Mexicano tournament.
The ATP, which said the fines on 24-year-old Zverev represent the maximum per each violation, will also launch a further review of the incident, which could lead to more sanctions from the men’s governing body.
In 2019, after an initial fine of US$113,000, Australian Nick Kyrgios was given a suspended ban of 16 weeks and an additional fine of US$25,000 for “aggravated behaviour” by the ATP following an internal investigation.
After losing in doubles on Tuesday, Zverev approached umpire Alessandro Germani’s chair and came perilously close to hitting him as he swung at the official’s stand before heading towards his courtside seat, upset over a line call in the match.
The 2020 US Open runner-up approached the chair a second time and again hit it while shouting expletives.
Just before the match ended, Germani handed Zverev a code violation for yelling and swearing in protest of a shot that was ruled in and set up match point.
Zverev, who was the defending champion in singles, apologised for his behaviour. — Reuters