Zverev Forces Obnoxious Fan To Be Kicked Out Of Stadium For Using Controversial Slur

Tuesday, 05 September 2023 at 15:10

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byNurein Ahmed

Alexander Zverev slammed a fan for using the 'most famous Hitler phrase there is in the world' during his late-night marathon win over Jannik Sinner and forcing him out of the stadium.

Zverev and his Italian opponent played out the longest match of the 2023 US Open, lasting the full five sets, and which clocked nearly five hours of intense and physically draining tennis. It was 26-year-old Zverev who outlasted 22-year-old Sinner in a battle of endurance 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 4-6, 6-3 to advance into the quarterfinals against Carlos Alcaraz.

But midway through that match, Zverev stopped play and requested the chair umpire James Keothavong to ask an obnoxious fan to leave the stadium. That was because Zverev complained that the fan had uttered some unpleasant words directed at him.

It was the fifth game of the fourth set, and the chair umpire had to wait until the changeover to ask security personnel to intervene. Although Keothavong's appeal that the fan identifies himself bore no fruit, other spectators were able to locate him and he was politely asked to vacate his seat and out of the stadium.

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Zverev did not let that moment tarnish what was a very good performance until that point when he led 2-1 in sets, and despite dropping the fourth set, it was the 12th-seeded German who held his nerve in the decider to claim one of his best wins since his comeback.

Speaking after the match, Zverev explained what the incident was all about. The USTA also clarified in a statement that the said fan made a disparaging remark directed towards the German player and that he was identified and wheeled away.

"He started singing the anthem of Hitler that was back in the day. It was 'Deutschland über alles' and it was a bit too much. I think he was getting involved in the match for a long time, though. I don't mind it, I love when fans are loud, I love when fans are emotional."

"But I think me being German and not really proud of that history, it's not really a great thing to do and I think him sitting in one of the front rows, I think a lot of people heard it. So if I just don't react, I think it's bad from my side. It's his loss, to be honest, to not witness the final two sets of that match."