Alexander Zverev faced sharp criticism from Serena Williams’ former coach Rennae Stubbs for his behavior following a quarterfinal loss to Lorenzo Musetti at the Italian Open in May 2025, with the controversy resurfacing as he began his French Open campaign on May 27, 2025. After losing 7-6(1), 6-4 to Musetti in Rome, Zverev complained about the “very slow” and “very heavy” tennis balls and Musetti’s defensive playstyle, stating, “He depends a lot on defence. He depends a lot on the mistakes from other opponents… Today was difficult for me to hit winners. The balls were getting very big.” Stubbs slammed Zverev’s remarks, saying on the eve of his French Open first-round match against Learner Tien, “That is why you are never going to be a great player… You are never going to win a Grand Slam if you’re going to complain about the balls. When was the last time Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic complained about the balls? Like what?” Her comments, reported by Express.co.uk, ignited debate as Zverev entered Roland Garros, where he faced scrutiny for his conduct and inconsistent 2025 season.
Context of Zverev’s Behavior and French Open Run
Zverev’s post-match complaints in Rome, where he called the tennis balls “a joke,” drew attention for their lack of sportsmanship, especially as he failed to credit Musetti’s brilliance, per Yardbarker. This echoed earlier controversies, like his 2022 Acapulco default for smashing a racket against an umpire’s chair and his Madrid Open 2025 code violation for photographing a ball mark to dispute an electronic line call, per Tennis.com. At the French Open, Zverev, the No. 3 seed, was set to face Tien, who had upset him at the 2025 Mexican Open, with Sportskeeda noting his “patchy form” despite a strong Australian Open final run. His 0-3 clay record against Francisco Cerundolo, who exited early, boosted Zverev’s and Novak Djokovic’s quarterfinal prospects, per Tennis365.
Broader French Open Narratives
Zverev’s behavior aligns with the 2025 French Open’s themes of scrutiny and resilience, seen in Coco Gauff’s empty racket bag blunder, Jannik Sinner’s outfit backlash, and Mirra Andreeva’s comeback against Cristina Bucsa. Like Luke Littler’s darts controversies and Jack Grealish’s transfer saga, Zverev navigates intense public pressure. His ball complaints, echoed by brother Mischa and supported by Andrea Petkovic, highlight ongoing ATP debates about inconsistent tennis balls causing injuries, though Dunlop refuted his claims, per Sport1.de. Paula Badosa’s empathy for Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu’s gritty £98,000 payday contrast with Zverev’s approach, underscoring varied responses to adversity.
Conclusion
Alexander Zverev’s post-match complaints about tennis balls and Lorenzo Musetti’s playstyle after his Italian Open loss drew scathing criticism from Rennae Stubbs, who questioned his Grand Slam potential as he entered the French Open 2025. Facing Learner Tien in the first round, Zverev’s inconsistent season and history of controversies, from Rome to Madrid, amplified scrutiny. His actions reflect the tournament’s narrative of pressure, paralleling
