Alexander Zverev lifts lid on the insults from Munich Open hecklers over domestic violence allegations

Alexander Zverev recently spoke out about a disturbing moment during his match at the Munich Open. While playing against Tallon Griekspoor, a fan shouted an offensive comment at him. The German player was serving at 5-5 in the second set when the fan yelled, “Let’s go, you wifebeater.”

Zverev immediately reacted by asking the chair umpire, Fergus Murphy, to remove the fan. He could be heard saying, “Fergus, please kick him out.” It is still unclear if the fan was actually removed from the match. The incident added tension to what was already a tight quarter-final match.

This was not the first time Zverev faced such public abuse. During the Australian Open trophy ceremony in January, a spectator shouted, “Australia believes Olga and Brenda.” Zverev was receiving his runner-up trophy at the time.

The German player has been accused of abuse by two former partners, Olga Sharypova in 2020 and Brenda Patea in 2023. He has denied both accusations. The case brought by Patea was later dropped by a court in Berlin.

Alexander Zverev’s storyline at the Madrid Open

World No.2 Alexander Zverev is the top seed at this year’s Madrid Open. He has a great chance to gain ground in the ATP Rankings. Zverev only earned 100 points last year after losing in the third round. This means he can earn a lot more if he goes deep in the tournament now. He’s also looking to increase his lead over Carlos Alcaraz, who sits just behind him.

Alcaraz will lose some points this week. Last year, he was the two-time defending champion but only reached the quarterfinals. That run gave him 200 points, but with a 10-point bye added, he’ll now drop 190 points. This opens the door for Zverev to pull ahead if he performs well.

Other players are also seeing changes in their rankings. Taylor Fritz reached the semifinals last year but will drop 400 points now. Despite that, he stays at No. 4 in the live rankings. Jiri Lehecka, who also made the semifinals, has dropped 10 spots and now sits at No. 37.

Andrey Rublev, last year’s champion, is at risk of falling out of the top group. He earned 1,000 points for his title win in 2023. Those points will now be removed, and he has dropped to No. 17. But if Rublev reaches the final rounds again, he can boost his ranking.

Alexander Zverev celebrates birthday in style

German tennis star Alexander Zverev won the Munich title for the third time on Sunday. He defeated Ben Shelton 6-2, 6-4 in the final. It was Zverev’s first trophy of the year and the 24th of his career. He also won this clay-court event in 2017 and 2018.

Shelton was playing in his fourth final and his second on clay. He had previously won the Houston title on clay last year. This time, he couldn’t match Zverev’s strong play.

Zverev was solid throughout the match. He served for the win and earned match point with a smart slice shot at the net. Moments later, he sealed victory with a sharp backhand volley after a short rally. He didn’t face a single break point during the match.

With this win, Zverev could rise in the ATP rankings. He might move back to No. 2, depending on other results. Carlos Alcaraz needed to win the Barcelona final against Holger Rune to keep his second-place spot behind Jannik Sinner.

Also Read: Carlos Alcaraz shares ‘massive’ ambitions of matching the Big 3 achievements in his documentary

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