Patrick Mouratoglou believes fans said ‘too much’ on Alexander Zverev after Acapulco
Patrick Mouratoglou believes that while Alexander Zverev admittedly deserved the punishment he received for his Acapulco meltdown fans should move on from the incident.
When Zverev hit out at the chair umpire’s stand after a tight doubles loss the German was ejected from the singles and made to forfeit his ranking points and prize money from the event.
He was further fined $40,000 and handed an eight-week suspended ban conditional on him not receiving another code violation in the next 12 months.
While some saw this punishment as lenient, including 21-time Slam champion Rafael Nadal, Mouratoglou agrees with the consequences and believes the matter should be ended.
“When I saw the images of Sascha [Zverev] in Acapulco shouting and hitting the chair umpire’s chair I thought ‘oof, he’s in trouble,'” Mouratoglou said on his YouTube channel.
“I realise that he went too far.
“I don’t like when someone makes a mistake and everybody jumps on that person and pulls him down.
“I think it was a bit too much, what people said.
“He shouted, he hit the chair, it’s wrong, it’s a mistake, he said that, he’s going to have a punishment, it’s fine.”
The coach’s comments contrast particularly with his charge 23-time Slam champion Serena Williams.
Serena said soon after the incident that she “would probably be in jail if I did that, no joke,” referring to Zverev’s actions as one of many examples of the double standard for men and women in professional tennis.
After losing in the second round of Indian Wells Zverev has been displaced as world number three by finalist Rafael Nadal entering the Miami Masters on Wednesday.
🎾 Free >> Join our legendary newsletter
🎾 Join >> Receive $700/£600 of tennis gear from the Tennishead CLUB
🎾 Social >> Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube
🎾 Read >> World’s best tennis magazine
🎾 Watch >> How to enjoy ATP/WTA/Slam tennis on TV
🎾 Shop >> Lowest price tennis gear from our trusted partner