Alexander Zverev threw a tantrum during his match against Yoshihito Nishioka due to loud music blasting from the other courts at the 2023 Cincinnati Masters.
Alexander Zverev made a winning start at the Cincinnati Masters by beating Grigor Dimitrov in the first round. He added another win in the second round by beating Yoshihito Nishioka in two sets, but he wasn't thrilled during most of that match.
Zverev and Nishioka played their match on the 4th biggest court at the complex, an outside one subjected to more distractions. People walk and talk constantly; music is heard from the bigger courts, which bothered Zverev the most.
He wasn't happy with the music being a distraction in some crucial points, such as break points. He ranted to umpire Aurelie Tourt, calling on her to ask the supervisor to come.
It’s not your fault. This is ridiculous because we’re playing a Masters, we’re not playing a 250. I won this tournament, you know, it’s not like just a random tournament that we’re just playing. There’s literally music coming on break point when I was serving and on break point when he was serving. And the thing is, the distance of the music is exactly the same from that corner as from that corner.
Supervisor Gerry Armstrong made his way to the court, where Zverev pleaded his case, being very unhappy about the situation. The music was nothing new as it was happening all week long; it's just that Zverev hasn't experienced it yet, having played on the bigger courts,
Gerry, we’re playing in a Masters series. This court today is me, Casper Ruud, Holger Rune, Monfils. We were all players who either won Masters series or were playing 10 or more years on the court. I have to serve break point against me at 5-4 with the music blasting and I have to return at 5-5 with break point with me with the music blasting as well.
Armstrong couldn't give Zverev anything concrete on that basically making it known that it's not going to stop or change. Zverev wasn't impressed claiming that something like this could damage the reputation of the tournament.
You’re lacking courts because the matches weren’t played on Tuesday or whatever but then adjust, turn it off. We’re playing a Masters, we’re not playing a Challenger, we’re not playing a 250. We’re playing in one of the biggest events of the year. This could literally damage your tournament.
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