Alexander Zverev hit with a warning after pleading with umpire to step down during intense clash at Madrid Open.
Alexander Zverev issued a warning after urging the umpire to leave his chair during a heated exchange at the Madrid Open.
Alexander Zverev was furious over a controversial electronic line call at the 2025 Madrid Open, engaging in a fiery dispute with chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani and pleading with him to step down and inspect the mark
Top seed Alexander Zverev is participating in the Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid. On Sunday, April 27, he went up against a red-hot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round, struggling early as he dropped the first set 2-6 after falling behind 0-4.
Despite the early setback, the German kept pushing in the second set. After trading breaks in the opening games, Davidovich Fokina created key breakpoint chances at 4-4. However, Zverev held firm, saving the game with a powerful serve that his opponent argued was out.
After voicing his frustration to the chair umpire over the disputed call, the Spaniard switched sides and turned his attention to his service game at 5-4. However, controversy quickly flared up again when Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was given the first point on a sliced backhand that Alexander Zverev insisted had landed well wide.
Angry over what he believed were consecutive mistakes, Zverev confronted chair umpire Lahyani, arguing that the electronic line-calling system was faulty.
“The machine isn’t working. Please look at the mark,” the World No. 2 pleaded. He repeatedly urged the chair umpire to inspect the mark, but Lahyani stayed firmly in his chair.
“Please just come down and look at it. No, no, no. Don’t overrule it—just come down, I’m asking you. Just for me, please. I’m begging you, just take a look,” he pleaded.
“The system called it good. I can’t check it, Alexander. Once the system declares it good, I’m unable to go down,” Mohamed Lahyani explained.
In reply, Alexander Zverev responded.
In reply, Alexander Zverev stated:
“Alright, but there’s an error in the system because this ball is clearly out.”
After an intense exchange, the player took out his phone and quickly snapped a photo of the mark on the red clay, despite the umpire asking him not to.
Zverev was quickly given a code violation warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. This isn’t the first instance in recent weeks where a tennis player has used their electronic device to capture evidence of a disputed line call. At the WTA 500 event in Stuttgart, finalist Aryna Sabalenka displayed similar behavior after being denied a second review. Likewise, Victoria Azarenka expressed frustration with the electronic system during her loss at the Madrid Open.
