Home

Tennis

After Alexander Zverev’s Outburst, Tennis Fans Bash ‘Unplayable’ Munich Conditions as Felix Auger-Aliassime Turns Second Victim

Published 04/20/2024, 5:31 AM EDT

Follow Us

via Imago

Prevailing weather conditions can decide the future of a tennis match as seen in the Bavarian International Tennis Championship. The conditions there have been less than desirable as the rain has disrupted the flow of matches. However, the rain brought extreme cold as well forcing Felix Auger-Aliassime to wear gloves leaving fans outraged.  

This is not the first time a match has been turned upside down in Munich. Alexander Zverev played his quarterfinal bout against Cristian Garín in difficult conditions, which eventually ended with his loss. He faced problems similar to those faced by Aliassime, who was defended by the fans. 

Fans lambast Munich organizers as Felix Auger-Aliassime shivers

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Felix Auger-Aliassime was playing against Jan-Lennard Struff in the quarterfinal of the Bavarian International when his match was suspended due to rain. As the two initially waited for their clash to continue, the temperature dropped and Aliassime had to wear gloves to keep warm. Viewers were unable to digest the sight they shared their thoughts about the situation.

One user said if players need to wear gloves, they need a reformed calendar for tournaments.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest Tennis stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Another fan said that the tournament should be moved to later in the summer as it is clearly the wrong time for Munich.

Another fan said that such conditions were extreme, along with the conditions in Acapulco, which saw flooding earlier this year.

One user tagged Carhartt, a workwear apparel brand, will be the new sponsor for the ATP, as players will need heavy gloves to protect them from the cold.  

As the Stuttgart Open continues without any interruptions, one fan said that they should contact the organizers, Porsche Tennis, and learn how to run a tournament properly.

Their bout was eventually suspended and will resume from 7-5, 3-1 for Struff. The rain wreaked havoc, and it was not the first time it troubled a player in Munich.

Alexander Zverev left frustrated at the umpire’s inaction amidst the “ridiculous” situation

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Zverev faced Cristian Garin in the quarterfinal and lost the match 6-4, 6-4. The German player could not match up to his opponent as he found himself irritated at the chair umpire’s passive response to the rain clogging the match

“At what point are we gonna do something? At what point? Just tell me. Are we not gonna do anything the entire match? Then I’m done. I’m just gonna tank the next two games and I’m done. This is ridiculous. It’s been literally raining,” Zverev said with disdain for the umpire as the clash was not stopped, even for a second.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The weather in Munich does not benefit the players as many find it difficult to play properly. Aliassime will wait for his match to continue, but Zverev was left frustrated, now hoping to catch a break in the Madrid Open.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Ripunjay Gaba

1,730Articles

One take at a time

Ripunjay Gaba, a tennis enthusiast-turned-journalist at EssentiallySports, found his way from freelance sports journalism to the publishing house in ES. Here, his writing canvas encompasses the game specifics while finding poetic resonance in covering major sporting events. Ripunjay, a perpetual upgrader, uses avid reading to bring varied flavor to his Tennis reporting.
Show More>

Edited by:

Ananya Giri