Alex Zverev gets WARNING and Faces disqualifications after begging umpire to come on court and taking photo of mark

Alexander Zverev warned after snapping photo of ball mark during Madrid Open match

Alexander Zverev received a code violation during his third-round clash at the Madrid Open after a heated disagreement with an automatic line call. With the tournament using electronic line calling, umpires are no longer permitted to leave their chair to inspect marks on the clay.

Frustrated when he believed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina had hit a ball wide, Zverev approached chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani and repeatedly begged him to come down and check the mark. Despite Zverev’s pleading, Lahyani calmly reminded him that under the current system, umpires must trust the automated call and cannot inspect marks manually.

Unwilling to accept the explanation, Zverev pulled out his phone and took a photo of the ball mark — an action that earned him a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct, amid boos and whistles from the crowd.

Earlier in the match, there had been another disputed call when Davidovich Fokina questioned one of Zverev’s serves. Despite the initial disagreement, the Spaniard accepted the automated call after seeing a replay.

Zverev, however, continued to express his frustration, arguing that there must be a malfunction in the system. “This cannot be possible. The ball is not close,” he said, gesturing emphatically.

Although the incident clearly rattled him, Zverev managed to recover and won the second set 7-6(3) in a tiebreak after losing the first. He even humorously pleaded again with Lahyani at the next changeover: “Mohamed, please, for me, just look at it.”

Ultimately, Zverev clinched a hard-fought 2-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(0) victory, smiling as he shook hands with both Davidovich Fokina and Lahyani at the end.

Sky Sports commentators supported the umpire’s handling of the situation, praising Lahyani for staying firm and emphasizing the reliability of the automated system.