Jack Sock gives his opinion on Alexander Zverev posting a picture of incorrect line call from the Madrid Open online

Alexander Zverev made headlines at the Madrid Open—not just for his comeback win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, but for a bold protest against a disputed line call.

Late in the second set of the match, Zverev stopped play to take a photo of a ball mark on the clay court after disagreeing with an electronic line call. The image, which he later posted to social media, appeared to support his claim that the ball was out—contradicting the technology’s ruling.

The move sparked widespread reaction across the tennis world. While some criticized the action, others—including former world No. 8 Jack Sock—voiced strong support.

“I’m a fan of it, to be honest,” Sock said on the Nothing Major podcast. “That ball wasn’t just barely out—it was well out. If I were a player, I’d probably do the same. Take a photo, post it. It would frustrate me too.”

Zverev’s post drew additional attention when tennis legend Boris Becker also came to his defense. However, many expect that Zverev could face disciplinary action for using a phone on court—something that previously led to a fine for Sergiy Stakhovsky at Roland Garros in 2013.

Sock addressed that possibility:

“I assume he’ll get fined, but I think that’s ridiculous. The best part of the whole exchange was how calm Sascha [Zverev] stayed. Mohamed Lahyani [the chair umpire] said he couldn’t leave the chair to inspect the mark, but Sascha wasn’t even asking for an overrule—just for someone to acknowledge that the system might’ve been wrong.”

Zverev has since called for a rule change regarding line-call challenges on clay, where ball marks are visible and can provide compelling visual evidence.

As the Madrid Open continues, the debate surrounding technology, officiating, and player rights remains as heated as ever.