Alexander Zverev has been told to ‘stop making excuses’ after his scathing attack on tournament organisers at the Shanghai Masters, with Jannik Sinner also responding to the German’s comments
Alexander Zverev has faced fierce backlash over his recent remarks about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the Shanghai Masters and been told to stop making excuses. The World number three launched a blistering attack on tournament organisers, alleging favouritism towards the pair of tennis superstars by claiming court speeds were tailored to benefit the world’s top two players.
“I think the tournament directors are going towards that direction because, obviously, they want Jannik and Carlos to do well every tournament and that’s what they prefer,” Zverev said after his second-round win over Valentin Royer at the Shanghai Masters.
“Nowadays, you can play almost the same way on every surface. I don’t like it, I’m not a fan of it. I think tennis needs different game styles, tennis needs a little bit of variety and I think we’re lacking that right now.”
READ MORE: Novak Djokovic incidents and player complaints could lead to rule change as statement madeREAD MORE: Novak Djokovic collapses and calls for doctor days after vomiting at Shanghai Masters
Yet former doubles World No. 1 Rennae Stubbs has savaged Zverev and urged him to stop making excuses after his third-round loss to Arthur Rinderknech in Shanghai.
“Is Zverev joking? If he thinks they are doing it to help Carlos and Jannik, here is a good example,” she said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.
“It’s like these guys win on every surface. Put them indoors on a slow court, on an ice rink, and they are going to win.
“Because they are going to adapt. You came in on the wrong approach shots, and your forehand went south when it mattered. Stop making excuses!”
Renowned tennis coach Rick Macci delivered a scathing assessment of the German’s recent interview, suggesting Zverev was merely ‘chirping’ because he recognised Alcaraz and Sinner were operating on a different level.
“Zverev and others are chirping saying the directors adjust the court speeds to favor Alcaraz / Sinner. This is another level of petty because they are another level. You just need to get better on any court speed than it does not matter. RIGHT,” Macci shared on X.
Sinner also addressed the criticism from Zverev after breezing into the last 32 in Shanghai with a commanding straight-sets victory over Daniel Altmaier.
When questioned about the German’s remarks, Sinner said: “You know, me and Carlos, we don’t make the courts. It’s not our decision. We try to adapt ourselves in every situation. I feel like still every week is a bit different.
“I’ve played some great tennis even when it was faster courts. But I’m not making the courts, you know, so I just try to adapt and play my best tennis I can, and that’s it.”
Both Sinner and Zverev were eliminated from the Shanghai Masters in the round of 32, with the quarter-final stages of the competition scheduled for Thursday, 9 October.
