Atp – Zverev case: 8 weeks off, but suspended for a year

Disqualified, but not too much. After the exclusion from the Acapulco tournament for hitting the referee’s chair several times with the racket, world number 3 Alexander Zverev avoids other penalties, at least for now. The vice president of the ATP for regulations and competitions, Miro Bratoev, “found aggravated behavior, in the words of the disciplinary code”. But the further fine of 23 thousand euros and the suspension of 8 weeks from any competition organized by the ATP are for now suspended and are linked to his behavior in the trial period that will end on February 22, 2023, one year after the accident. of Acapulco. If he avoids for one year “disrespectful or aggressive behavior, verbal or physical abuse, towards a referee, opponent, spectator or other person during or at the end of a match” the penalties will be lifted, otherwise they will be applied.

To Indian Wells

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Initially, the men’s circuit had sanctioned the German with a fine of 35,600 euros and had deprived him of his earnings in Mexico (28,160 euros) as well as the points acquired in the standings for singles and doubles played. Zverev, who will be able to participate in the Indian Wells Masters 1000 tournament starting tomorrow, has until Friday to appeal.

What happened

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At the end of the double loss paired with the Brazilian Marcelo Melo and the British Lloyd Glasspool and the Finnish Harri Heliövaara, Zverev had lost his temper and hit the referee’s chair three times, before sitting down and then getting up again to insult him. and hit the chair with another racket. Excluded from the tournament, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist had “asked for forgiveness”, claiming on Instagram that he had “apologized privately to the chair referee” after his “unacceptable” outburst. His behavior had been condemned in particular by Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. “I would probably be in jail if I did,” Serena Williams told CNN on Saturday, recalling that in 2009 at the US Open she had to pay a $ 175,000 fine and be disqualified after insulting a touch judge.