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Zverev’s Stand Against Hate
On Tuesday, in a surprising moment at the US Open in New York City, a tennis match led to the expulsion of a spectator when German player Alexander Zverev accused the person of quoting a sentence from Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime.
This astonishing incident unfolded just before 12:15 PM at Arthur Ashe Stadium when He the 12th seed, was serving at 2-2 in the fourth set against Italian player Janik Sinner, ranked 6th in the tournament. Suddenly, Zverev approached chair umpire James Keothavong and gestured towards a fan sitting in the court-side section.
He said to the umpire, “He just said the most famous Hitler quote to me. He has just said the most famous Hitler quote in the world right now. This is unacceptable. This is unbelievable.”
The umpire promptly investigated the situation and asked the fan to identify himself. “Raise your hand,” Keothavong said. “Who said it? Who said it? Who said it? We assure you that he is departing.
Immediately after, security officers were called to remove the fan, who was clearly identified by other spectators. The audience cheered as security guards led the individual out of the arena.
Keothavong made an announcement to the crowd, urging them to “remain impartial and respect the players.”
When asked for comments, a spokesperson for the United States Tennis Association told ABC News, “A fan made an offensive comment towards Alexander Zverev. The fan was identified and then removed from the stadium.”
A USTA spokesman claimed that no police were involved in the incident.
Amidst these unusual circumstances, the five-set match between Zverev and Sinner continued for nearly five hours, with Zverev ultimately defeating Sinner. He will now face the number 1 seed and current US Open champion, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, in the quarter-finals.