Alexander Zverev reveals Hitler’s fan comments during US Open match with Jannik Sinner
- Alexander Zverev was involved in a heated US Open match when he heard a man in the crowd say “the most famous Hitler phrase.”
- Shortly afterwards, a man was taken away by security, leading to the latest embarrassment for fans
- The Hamburg native later confirmed that the “fan” had sung “Deutschland über alles” – the anthem of Nazi Germany
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Alexander Zverev’s nightly US Open round of 16 match against Jannik Sinner was overshadowed by a racist insult directed at the German number 12.
Zverev and Sinner were involved in a tense fourth-round duel in the early hours of the morning in New York when the former complained to the referee about a comment he had heard in the seconds before a point.
“He just said the most famous Hitler sentence in existence.” “That is unacceptable,” Hamburg-born Zverev told British referee James Keothavong after hearing an insult from the crowd.
After the game, Zverev told a reporter what the supposed fan had said.
“He started singing the Hitler anthem at the time. “It was ‘Germany over everything’ and it was a bit too much,” said the Hamburg native.
“I love it when fans are emotional.” But I think since I’m German and not really proud of that history, it’s not really a great thing, and I think him sitting in one of the front rows, I think , many people have heard it. “So if I just don’t respond, I think that’s bad,” he added.
Alexander Zverev was involved in a brilliant game in New York, but it was marred by an off-field comment he heard from a fan in New York
Jannik Sinner was Zverev’s opponent in the heated match that lasted late into the night
In response, the referee turned in his chair, went straight to the most expensive seats on the sidelines and asked the perpetrator to identify himself.
When no one spoke up, Keothavong called on the entire audience to respect the players while security guards were sent to the area to try to resolve the unpleasant situation.
The game continued before the cameras returned to the stands a few minutes later and showed a middle-aged man being spoken to by security and then led out of the arena – much to the delight of the fans around him.
It’s unclear exactly what the man allegedly said and whether the man pictured by ESPN cameras is the fan who allegedly made the slur.
It is not the first incident involving spectators at this year’s US Open, as Daniil Medvedev openly criticized the noise from fans after one of his matches.
“Thank you to everyone who didn’t scream between my first and second serves,” he told the crowd after defeating Sebastian Baez.
“However, there was one spectator, maybe he has a girlfriend or a wife who I don’t know how she will sleep… He was particularly excited and will spend the night saying vamos, vamos, vamos without ever stopping. “I’m sorry for him.”
The New York crowd was loud throughout the tournament. There is no evidence that the men pictured above were involved in any wrongdoing.
Fans watch Carlos Alcaraz’s game against Matteo Arnaldi on Monday afternoon
Elsewhere, other fans have commented on the “wild” atmosphere on offer – particularly over Labor Day weekend in the Big Apple.
In the match itself, Zverev won the first set on Monday evening against his Italian opponent Sinner, who is in sixth place and is the favorite going into the fourth round game.
Sinner fought back to equalize with a one-set lead before Zverev made the most of his opponent’s injury problems and secured the third set.
However, when everything seemed lost for Sinner shortly before 1 a.m. in the Big Apple, he won the fourth set and thus forced the deciding set.