Alexander Zverev's Serve Routine Sparks Criticism at US Open
3 sources · Germany
Who reported this
- Der Spiegel
- Sueddeutsche Zeitung
- Frankfurter Allgemeine
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Alexander Zverev's habit of bouncing the ball numerous times before serving has caused frustration among opponents and observers at the US Open. Following a victory over Karen Chatschanow with a score of 6:3, 7:6, 7:6, the Russian player complained that the routine costs too much time and makes it difficult to prepare for the serve. Zverev noted that he saw a statistic indicating he had bounced the ball approximately 12,000 times during the tournament, a fact he described as funny. He stated that the behavior is not intentional and that he does not count to a specific number in his head. During the semifinal, Zverev bounced the ball up to 20 times before some serves and received one warning for a time violation. While players have 25 seconds to start the first serve after the umpire announces the score, Boris Becker noted as a TV expert that there is no such restriction for the second serve. Chatschanow stated that while he cannot complain if the routine is within the rules, it is the responsibility of the umpire to remain attentive and intervene when necessary.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- These reports focused on the disruption caused by the routine and Zverev's lighthearted reaction to the statistics.
- Centre-right
- This report framed the situation as an annoying quirk and highlighted the specific criticism from both the opponent and Boris Becker.
Sources
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