Mats Wilander exclusive: penalty for Alexander Zverev after freaking out in Acapulco was too mild

A longer suspension for Alexander Zverev would have been appropriate after the Acapulco incidents. At least that is the point of view of the seven-time Grand Slam tournament winner Mats Wilander.

“If a player breaks his racquet on the umpire’s chair and is literally inches from hitting the umpire’s leg, he shouldn’t be allowed on a tennis court until he’s gone through some sort of rehabilitation process,” the Swede told the exclusive -Interview with Eurosport.

After all, Zverev can be credited with one thing. “The fact that he was so emotionally distressed at the end of the double defeat shows that it is important to him, but you have to show that in a different way,” says Wilander. After a scandal like that in Acapulco, a tougher punishment is needed.

Wilander: A suspension of three or six months would be appropriate

“You sanction someone who behaves like this with a three-month or six-month ban,” emphasizes the 57-year-old. “In a case like that, you don’t allow him to play the most important tournaments on the calendar.” These important competitions are “the Grand Slams, the Masters events and the Davis Cup”.

It’s time to react. “Maybe you should found some kind of professional association in tennis that makes all these decisions. I’m thinking of a combination of ATP, ITF, WTA and Olympic Committee,” suggests the former number one in the world.

Wilander on chopped up racquets: “Hate this behavior”

Such an association would also be the right instrument to take action against another bad habit that pisses Wilander off: destroying rackets during a game, which has become very fashionable.

“I don’t like it when tennis rackets are destroyed, even if that’s becoming more and more accepted in the professional circuit. I hate this behavior because there are tennis players in the world who can’t afford a second racket,” said the ex-champion. Even more important: “We mustn’t fool the children that this is how we handle the material,” Wilander clarifies.

Medvedev and Shapovalov verbally attack referees

So it’s quite possible that the penalties in tennis – as requested by Wilander – will soon be sharper.