Tennis star Alexander Zverev has apologized for his "wrong and unacceptable" behavior after getting kicked out of the Mexican Open.
After a loss in the tournament, Zverev angrily struck the umpire's chair with his racket several times, prompting the Association of Tennis Professionals to announce that "due to unsportsmanlike conduct," he "has been withdrawn from the tournament," ESPN reports. The German tennis player, who is ranked No. 3 in singles, wrote on Instagram that it's "difficult to put into words how much I regret my behavior" after the match.
"I have privately apologized to the chair umpire because my outburst towards him was wrong and unacceptable, and I am only disappointed in myself," he said. "It just should not have happened and there is no excuse. I would also like to apologize to my fans, the tournament, and the sport that I love."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In addition to hitting the chair, he could be heard yelling at the umpire that he "destroyed the whole f---ing match" after he received a code violation earlier for yelling and swearing, according to The Associated Press. At one point during the outburst, Zverev appeared to nearly hit the umpire himself. He still faces the possibility of a suspension in addition to being kicked out of the tournament, TMZ notes. Zverev previously faced allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-girlfriend, which he has denied, according to The Washington Post.
"As you know, I leave everything on the court," Zverev wrote on Instagram. "Yesterday, I left too much. I am going to take the coming days to reflect — on my actions and how I can ensure that it will not happen again. I am sorry for letting you down."
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
