Tennis fans have unearthed footage of Alexander Zverev lying during the coin toss ahead of his French Open quarter-final against Alex De Minaur on Wednesday.
The world number 4 beat his Australian opponent on Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros, but the victory was not without incident after a controversial opening.
Before each match, both players wait for the results of a coin toss to decide who will serve the opening game of the encounter. On Wednesday, Zverev changed his decision when he discovered the outcome of fate.
In footage posted to social media, the German star is seen telling referee Damien Dumusois that he wanted to serve if he won the toss, but after collecting the coin he clearly made it clear that he intended to cancel the toss receive.
“It’s racket,” he told the official as he presented the evidence. Dumusois then rightly turns to De Minaur before Zverev adds: “No, I said racket.”
Tennis fans on Wednesday unearthed footage of Alexander Zverev lying during the toss of his French Open quarterfinal
The world number 4 defeated Australian Alex De Minaur on Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros
One fan held nothing back in his assessment of the incident and accused the tennis star of lying
“You said racket?” The referee replied. “Yes,” Zverev said. Before telling his opponent: ‘But if you want to go, go, hey. I will receive.’
One user on
Zverev went on to win the first set 6-4 before ending De Minaur’s fairytale run in which he defeated Grand Slam winner Daniil Medvedev on his way to becoming the first Australian to reach the last eight of a major since Lleyton Hewitt 20 years past. .
“I put up a great fight… against a good opponent,” the 25-year-old said. ‘[I] If I had had my chances I probably should have taken the second set and we could have had a decent battle.”
‘I left my heart there. I did everything I could. It just wasn’t good enough.’
Zverev will face Norwegian Casper Ruud in the semi-finals in his quest to claim his first major amid his upcoming domestic violence hearing.
The 27-year-old was fined £390,000 by a German court and given a criminal order last year after being accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Brenda Patea. The 27-year-old is contesting the charges and the hearing begins Friday.
After confirming he does not need to attend in person, Zverev was asked ahead of his French Open campaign whether the court date was on his mind.
“Not at all,” he said. ‘I believe in the German system. I also believe in the truth. I know what I did, I know what I didn’t do.
‘Eventually that will work out, and I have to trust that.
‘I’m not going to lose this procedure. There’s absolutely no chance that’s me. That’s why I can play calmly, and I think my results show that.”
In May 2020, Patea claimed the former world number 2 ‘strangled her during an argument’ and was a ‘jealous man’.
A statement from his representative, Schertz Bergmann, called the penalty order “outrageous” and hinted that the player would take action “by any means necessary.”
Patea is said to have had a relationship with Zverev for less than twelve months between 2019 and the birth of their daughter Mayla in 2021.
Brenda Patea described her ex-boyfriend as ‘jealous’ and claimed this could result in ‘repeated physical violence’ against her. Zverev has denied all allegations against him
The former world number 2 and the German model were together for less than 12 months
The German model described a “mixture of shame, fear of Zverev’s lawyers and concern for her child” as playing a role in why she delayed seeking the injunction, but speaking to Süddeutsche Zeitung, Patea said that her decision to speak out arose from an attempt to set an example for victims of abuse.
Ms. Patea claims that during the confrontation, Zverev “pushed her against the wall and strangled her during an argument in the hallway.”
This led to ‘pain in the throat and neck and difficulty swallowing’, which she spoke about after the incident when she confided in two friends.
Zverev has been largely tight-lipped about the allegations, but described the penalty imposed on him last November as “complete bulls***,” before adding: “Anyone with a semi-standard IQ level knows what this is all about. about.’