(VIDEO) “Impossible to play tennis with this s***”: Alexander Zverev vents anger at chair umpire prior to Rome Open exit
Alexander Zverev, the world No. 2 and defending Italian Open champion, unleashed a profanity-laced tirade at chair umpire Richard Haigh during his quarter-final loss to Lorenzo Musetti (7-6(1), 6-4) on May 14, 2025, at the Foro Italico, blaming the tournament’s tennis balls for his defeat. The German, visibly agitated at 2-1 in the second set, tossed a ball to an official and complained, “It’s impossible to play tennis with this s***. If this is entertaining tennis, I don’t know what the f*** we’re doing. We’re playing with f***ing kids’ balls,” as reported by TennisUpToDate. Zverev argued the balls were too slow and “very, very big,” hindering his aggressive style and favoring Musetti’s deep return position, which he claimed was “six feet behind the baseline.”
The outburst, which risked a code violation, came after Zverev failed to convert four set points in the first set, allowing Musetti to seize the tiebreak. Despite a warning for his language, Zverev doubled down, saying, “I don’t care, give me a warning,” insisting the balls prevented winners, akin to those used by “8-year-olds.” In his press conference, he elaborated, noting the balls’ inconsistency compared to those used in Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Munich, a recurring issue players have discussed for years. “It’s difficult to hit winners here. For a player like me, it’s not easy,” he said, per Sportskeeda.
The loss dropped Zverev to No. 3, with Carlos Alcaraz overtaking him as French Open second seed. Fans on X were divided, with some, like @FS_Tennis1, sympathizing with his ball complaints, while others criticized his composure, citing his 2022 Mexican Open ejection for smashing an umpire’s chair. Musetti’s tactical play, leveraging the slow conditions, earned him a semi-final spot against Jack Draper. Zverev’s frustration, while echoing past clay-court grievances, like his 2025 Madrid Open critique of Hawk-Eye, reignited debates about tournament conditions and his on-court temperament.
