Zverev Shows Grit Amid Heckling to Advance at Munich Open

MUNICH, Germany — Alexander Zverev encountered a disruptive spectator during his quarterfinal match at the Munich Open on Friday, though he ultimately triumphed to secure his spot in the semifinals.

Zverev, the tournament’s top seed, faced off against Tallon Griekspoor when a fan shouted an inappropriate comment regarding domestic abuse allegations against the German player. The heckler yelled, “Let’s go, you … wife-beater!” while Zverev was preparing to serve at 5-5 in the second set.

Initially unbothered, Zverev composed himself while other audience members jeered the disruptive fan. After winning the game, he addressed chair umpire Fergus Murphy during the changeover, requesting, “Fergus, please kick him out.” It remains uncertain whether the spectator was ejected, as Reuters has reached out to tournament organizers for confirmation.

This incident comes in the wake of previous heckling Zverev endured during his runner-up speech at the Australian Open earlier this year. Zverev faced domestic abuse allegations from the mother of his child, Brenda Patea, last year, but has consistently denied any wrongdoing. His lawyers announced a settlement after a German court closed the case.

In an intense match that lasted over three hours, Zverev ultimately defeated Griekspoor with a score of 6-7 (6), 7-6 (3), 6-4, avenging his previous loss to the Dutchman at the Indian Wells tournament in March. “I don’t even care if it was a roller-coaster ride, I won,” Zverev stated after the match. “The crowd carried me to victory. I was already mentally exhausted, but they cheered me on in the decisive phase.”

Zverev’s victory sets him up for a semifinal clash against Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan.

Meanwhile, American tennis player Ben Shelton advanced to his second clay-court semifinal by defeating Flavio Darderi 6-4, 6-3 in chilly conditions at the BMW Open. Shelton, seeded second, hit an impressive 29 winners compared to Darderi’s 12. He will now face Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, who progressed by overcoming a challenging match with a score of 6-2, 6-4.

Prior to the tournament, Shelton experienced his first professional soccer match as Bayern Munich drew with rival Borussia Dortmund, 2-2, last Saturday. Shelton’s victory over Darderi concluded the Italian player’s remarkable seven-match winning streak, which included a title in Marrakech.

As Zverev noted after his match against Griekspoor, “It’s always entertaining; we always go the distance.” With this victory, he improved his record to 7-2 against the Dutch player.

Looking ahead, Zverev, who served against a challenging crowd, expressed excitement about his upcoming matches. “I’m proud to win this match and looking forward to the next two, hopefully,” he added.