ALEXANDER ZVEREV has been booted out of Acapulco after repeatedly whacking his racket off the umpire’s chair in an astonishing meltdown.
The world No3 was in doubles action alongside Marcelo Melo, taking on Brit Lloyd Glasspool and Finn Harri Heliovaara.
Alexander Zverev was furious with the chair umpire
The German violenty swiped at the umpire’s chair
Zverev, 24, suffered a narrow 10-6 defeat in the deciding tiebreak, before losing his cool completely.
After being beaten by a Glasspool ace on match point, Zverev shook hands with his opponents before violently striking the umpire’s chair three times with his racket.
He then swore repeatedly at the official, before taking another swipe with his racket.
Zverev said: “You f***ing destroyed the whole f***ing match. The whole f***ing match.”
The former US Open finalist had been due to face compatriot Peter Gojowczyk in round two of the singles tonight.
But following his vicious act, he has been booted out of the tournament entirely.
Zverev was upset by a decision made at 6-8 in the breaker.
He felt that a Heliovaara return, called as a clean winner, had in fact gone wide.
Zverev fumed: “Look where the ball bounced,. It’s 8-6 in the tiebreak, look where the ball bounced. For f*** sake, it’s your line.
“It’s f***ing your line. You f***ing idiot.”
The hothead then lost it completely, before shockingly attacking the umpire’s chair.
A brief tournament statement on social media read: “Due to unsportsmanlike conduct at the conclusion of his doubles match on Tuesday night, Alexander Zverev has been withdrawn from the tournament in Acapulco.”
Only yesterday, Zverev had set a record at the tournament.
His 3-6, 7-6(10), 6-2 comeback victory over Jenson Brooksby was the latest finishing match in ATP Tour history, not concluding until 4:55am local time.
Gojowczyk will now progress to the quarter-finals with a walkover.
Zverev, 24, has been booted out Acapulco
