Boris Becker Demands Tennis Rule Change Over Alexander Zverev’s Serve Habit

Zverev captured his second Grand Slam title of the season three months after winning the French Open, defeating the men’s singles field in New York. Yet his distinctive habit of repeatedly bouncing the ball before executing a second serve drew criticism from opponents, analysts, and fellow professionals throughout the fortnight.

Boris Becker Demands Second-Serve Time Limits

Speaking in a joint podcast with Andrea Petkovic, former world number one Boris Becker raised concerns over the duration of Zverev’s pre-serve ritual. According to Becker, the protracted bouncing creates unnecessary tension for television broadcasters and disrupts the flow of the match.

«Einen Kritikpunkt habe ich bei Sascha Zverev, nur einen. Dieses ewige Balltippen beim zweiten Aufschlag, bitte», Becker stated in the podcast, as reported by German media. «Man braucht dringend eine Regeländerung, wie lange der Spieler Zeit hat vor dem zweiten Aufschlag.»

Under current tennis regulations, players are allotted 25 seconds between points to initiate their first serve once the chair umpire has announced the score. However, no equivalent time restriction governs the interval between a first missed serve and the execution of the second serve. During the US Open, Zverev routinely bounced the tennis ball multiple times before starting his motion on second serves, prompting Becker to admit that commentating on the matches became a stressful experience.

«Ich wurde hektisch beim Kommentieren», Becker remarked. «Ich dachte, wann fängt er denn an.»

Player Backlash and Historical Context

Zverev’s on-court habits have drawn scrutiny from competitors on the ATP Tour. Russian player Karen Khachanow, whom Zverev defeated in the semi-finals, voiced complaints regarding the lengthy routine during the tournament. Following the conclusion of the event, American finalist Ben Shelton also spoke out, joining Becker in advocating for regulatory changes to address the delay.

Despite his critique of the service routine, Becker praised the German player’s overall performance across the major championships this season. Noting Zverev’s victories at Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows, Becker described the achievement as historic.

«Aber sonst hat er alles ziemlich perfekt gemacht», Becker said. «Zwei Grand Slams in einem Jahr, das ist echt historisch.»

Becker, who remains the only other German male singles player to win the US Open title in the Open Era, suggested that Zverev now holds a strong opportunity to challenge for the year-end number one ranking. Zverev sits behind current world number one Jannik Sinner in the overall rankings, though Sinner missed the New York major due to injury. With Sinner defending a higher total of ranking points through the remainder of the calendar, Becker pointed to the upcoming ATP Finals in Turin, Italy, in mid-November as a crucial milestone for the conclusion of the season.

Addressing Skepticism Over the Draw

In the wake of the tournament, some tennis commentators and fans argued that Zverev’s US Open path was aided by the absence of Sinner, the recent return from long-term injury by Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, and the early exits of several other seeded contenders. Becker dismissed those arguments as disrespectful to the champion’s physical and mental endurance.

«Er kann immer nur den Gegner schlagen, gegen den er auf dem Platz antreten muss», Becker said. «Ich finde es eigentlich eine bodenlose Frechheit und eine unglaubliche Respektlosigkeit gegenüber seiner Leistung.»

Governing bodies have not yet announced any official proposals or rule committee reviews regarding second-serve time limits. Zverev is scheduled to return to competitive play in the upcoming ATP Tour fixtures leading toward the season-ending championships in Turin.