German tennis player Alexander Zverev played yesterday in the round of 16 match of the US Open against Italian Jannik Sinner. Halfway through the fourth set, the world number 12 was about to serve when he suddenly stopped the match and turned indignantly to the chair umpire. The German tennis player claimed to have heard “the most famous Hitler phrase there is” from a fan.
The chair umpire turned to speak to the stands, although at first the person who had launched the phrase was not identified. However, minutes later the security guards were able to find the fan and evicted him from the stadium.
The German phrase Alexander Zverev heard was ‘Deutschland über alles’ (‘Germany above all else’), a phrase from the German anthem now removed from the official lyrics and linked mainly to Adolf Hitler’s Nazi period.
In addition to this episode that took place yesterday in the round of 16 match, the duel was marked by a high pace that ended with a victory more than worked for the German tennis player. Zverev, who had to deal with physical problems and exhaustion, beat Sinner, with cramps and also clear signs of fatigue, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6 and 6-3 after a ‘battle ‘ of four hours and 41 minutes that put the two to the limit of their forces.
In the quarterfinals, the German tennis player will face Carlos Alcaraz this Wednesday, September 6. The Spanish tennis player, current champion of the ‘big’ in New York, will arrive much more rested at his quarterfinal match since he won his ticket this Monday afternoon with a fast-track victory against Italian Matteo Arnaldi 6-3 , 6-3 and 6-4 in 1 hour and 57 minutes.
Alcaraz and Zverev have played five times to date with three wins for the German and two for the Murcian. However, the last precedent, at the 1,000 Masters in Madrid, was a victory for Alcaraz 6-1 and 6-2.
