WATCH: Zverev Booed Heavily After Stopping Match To Take Ball Mark Picture In Madrid
NewsSunday, 27 April 2025 at 16:14
There was another huge ball mark controversy, this time in the third-round match between Alexander Zverev and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the 2025 Madrid Open.
This year, the live electronic line calling is used across all ATP tournaments, including clay-court tournaments. Although having a live line-calling system is great for the sport, it can also cause plenty of controversies.
Prior to the introduction of the live electronic line calling on the red dirt, tennis fans, as well as players, were given a video explanation by the ATP, as there were some known moments that might occur with this system.
While on the hard courts, players don't have direct proof of where the ball landed, and they must eventually agree with what the system says, the situation is different on clay, where there is a clear ball mark left after the ball lands on the court.
The video from the ATP tried explaining that even though sometimes the mark might seem as clearly out, it could still be in because of how the live electronic line calling works.
One such situation happened during a match at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid between the top-seeded Zverev and home favorite Davidovich Fokina.
Davidovich Fokina won the opening set of the match 6-2, and he was close to securing the win in the second set of the match. Down 4-5, the Spanish player served to stay in the set, and it started with a very controversial moment.
Zverev played a drop shot, which Davidovich Fokina chased down, and tried to play down the line. The ball landed very close to the line, but it appeared that it was clearly out, as even the Spanish player hesitated for a moment, not sure whether he won the point or not.
Zverev, on the other hand, saw the ball mark clearly in front of him, being convinced that it was not in. He immediately went to consult the umpire of the match, Mohamed Lahyani, who immediately told the German player that he can't overrule the live electronic line calling.
The ATP World No. 2 was aware of the rule, and he didn't want the umpire to overturn the call, just to see the mark, which he was 100% convinced was out.
"The machine is not working. Look at this mark, please, just come down and look at it. Don't overrule it, please come just come down please, just for me. Don't overrule it, just for me, please look at this. Please, I'm begging you. Just look at it."
The Spanish crowd obviously didn't like the situation and booed throughout the interaction. Lahyani tried explaining that since the system showed him the ball was in, he couldn't come down to check the mark.
"I cannot. The system gave it good, I cannot check it, Alexander. I'm not allowed. When the system calls it good, I cannot go down. Alexander, the system gave the decision, it's the same for both of you."
But despite the umpire's explanation, Zverev remained convinced that the system didn't judge the ball correctly, as he was sure it was out.
"OK. But then there is a mistake in the system, because this ball is like *this* out."
After that, Zverev took his phone to snap a picture of the ball mark, something Aryna Sabalenka did only a week ago. The Belarusian player wasn't the only one, with multiple players recently taking pictures of the ball marks.
The Spanish crowd didn't like the lengthy conversation between Zverev and Lahyani, and they started booing even louder when the German player went to take a picture.
Ultimately, the match continued, and Zverev was able to win not only the second set but also turn the match completely around, winning 2-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(0).
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