“Something is way off… Insanity”: Boris Becker and Martina Navratilova among top names puzzled by Alexander Zverev Madrid controversy
Another day, another controversy over line calls at the Madrid Open — and this time, Alexander Zverev is at the center of it.
During his match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Zverev, frustrated by a disputed call, took matters into his own hands. After losing the first set 6-2, the German rallied but was left fuming when a sliced backhand by Davidovich Fokina was ruled in by the tournament’s Electronic Line Calling (ELC) system.
Zverev argued passionately with umpire Mohamed Lahyani, urging him to review the situation. Ultimately, Zverev pulled out his phone — following the lead of Aryna Sabalenka earlier in the tournament — and snapped a photo of the ball mark to highlight what he saw as a glaring mistake. He later shared the image on social media to prove his point.
Tennis Legends Weigh In
Zverev’s protest resonated not only with fans but also with some of the sport’s biggest names.
Boris Becker showed his support, writing on social media: “Clearly OUT.”
Martina Navratilova also chimed in: “It’s definitely out no matter which angle you look from. And there is no other mark — this setup needs to be improved… something is way off,” she noted.
Fellow WTA player Donna Vekic also voiced her concern: “So crazy that umpires are not able to overrule this! Insanity,” she wrote.
A Match Full of Drama
Despite the controversy — and a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct due to taking the photo — Zverev managed to stay focused and ultimately defeated Davidovich Fokina, 2-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(0).
However, this latest incident adds to the growing debate over the reliability of electronic line-calling systems. The controversy has been simmering across the tournament, with Victoria Azarenka also criticizing the technology during her loss to Olga Danilovic earlier in the week.
While players have long pushed for reduced umpire intervention, incidents like this suggest that human oversight may still be necessary — and perhaps more so than ever.
