Shameful words. A spectator was expelled from the stands of the center court of the US Open, during the round of 16 of the last Grand Slam tournament of the season between Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner. According to the German, the viewer uttered “Hitler’s most famous phrase.”
As he was about to serve at 2-2 in the fourth set, Sascha Zverev went to the chair umpire to point out “unacceptable” and “incredible” remarks. “He just said Hitler’s most famous phrase that exists in this world,” the German player told British referee James Keothavong.
Video of Zverev telling the umpire that a fan just yelled “the most famous Hitler phrase” in his match against Jannik Sinner.
The last thing you’d think to hear in the middle of a tennis match.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 5, 2023
Taking the problem very seriously, the latter immediately turns around from the top of his referee’s chair to ask the spectator who uttered this sentence to denounce himself. While part of the public became involved in the search for the spectator, several members of security and the tournament referee went to the stands and found the spectator in question, seated a few rows from the field, not far from the referee’s chair.
The lyrics of the Nazi-era German anthem
After discussion, the spectator is logically expelled from the stands under the applause and the whistles of the central court and will not attend the epic end of this round of 16 which will see the 26-year-old German win in five sets (6- 4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3), after a 4:41 fight.
Zverev then told reporters that he heard the viewer sing the opening words of the Nazi-era German anthem, “Deutschland Über Alles.” “He started singing the Hitler anthem of the time – Deutschland Über Alles – it was a bit too much,” he explained. He got involved in the game for a long time and I don’t mind. I like when the fans are loud, I like when the fans are emotional, but I think as a German I’m not really proud of this story, it’s not really a good thing to do . »
He also pointed out: “And him, sitting in one of the front rows, a lot of people heard him. If I don’t react, I think it’s not good of me.
Qualified for the quarter-finals, Alexander Zverev will find the world number 1 and defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz, against whom he leads 3-2 in their confrontations.
