(Reuters) – Men’s tennis governing body has handed world number three Alexander Zverev a suspended eight-week ban for smashing his racket against the umpire’s chair at last month’s ATP 500 event in Acapulco, for which he was expelled from the tournmament.
Zverev was fined $20,000 for verbal abuse, $20,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and forfeited more than $31,000 in prize money and all rankings points earned from singles and doubles action at the Abierto Mexicano tournament.
Following a review, the ATP found that the 24-year-old German had committed “aggravated behaviour” under the Player Major Offense section of its rules and issued an additional fine of $25,000 and eight-week suspension from any ATP-sanctioned event.
But the ATP said the fine and suspension was withheld on the condition that, over a probation period ending on Feb. 22, 2023, a year after the incident, Zverev has not incurred any more fines for unsportsmanlike conduct, verbal or physical abuse.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Robert Birsel)
