Alexander Zverev made headlines at the Italian Open after launching into a heated rant about the quality of the tennis balls used in the tournament. The German star, known for his powerful baseline game, was visibly frustrated during his quarterfinal match against Lorenzo Musetti, voicing his displeasure in an expletive-laden outburst.
During a changeover, Zverev was overheard criticizing the balls, claiming they were too heavy and made it impossible to play his usual aggressive style. “These balls are terrible. You can’t hit through the court with them,” he said, expressing his frustration with the playing conditions. His remarks escalated as he continued, “It’s impossible to play tennis with this,” followed by further complaints about how the equipment was affecting the quality of the match.
The outburst was met with mixed reactions. Some fans sympathized with Zverev’s concerns, acknowledging that ball consistency has been a recurring issue on the ATP Tour. Others felt his reaction was excessive, especially given the competitive nature of the tournament.
“These balls are terrible. You can’t hit through the court with them. It’s impossible to play tennis with this shit, if this is entertaining tennis I don’t know what the f… we’re doing. I’m tired of this shit,” he said during the changeover.
Despite his frustrations, Zverev continued to battle in the match but ultimately fell to Musetti in straight sets, losing 7-6 (1), 6-4. His comments added to the ongoing debate about equipment standardization in professional tennis, with players frequently voicing concerns about variations in ball quality across different tournaments.
As the clay season progresses, it remains to be seen whether Zverev’s complaints will lead to any changes in future events. For now, his passionate reaction has sparked discussions about whether adjustments should be made to ensure consistency in playing conditions across the tour.
Alexander Zverev in 2025
Ranked world no.2 (career-high), Zverev played his last match on the 14th of May when he lost to world no.9 Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(1) 6-4 in the quarter in Rome (draw).
This season Zverev has managed to achieve a compiled 24-9 record. Alexander conquered 1 title in Munich. Zverev was the finalist at the Australian Open.
He is also scheduled to play at the French Open (French Open) on the 25th of May and Stuttgart (Boss Open) on the 9th of June.
Musetti in Rome, ranking, and results in 2025
At the moment ranked no.9 (career-high), Musetti has managed to achieve a compiled 20-6 match record in 2025. Musetti is now playing in Rome where he beat the world no.130 Otto Virtanen 6-3 6-2, the world no.29 Brandon Nakashima 6-4 6-3, the world no.11 Daniil Medvedev 7-5 6-4 and the world no.2 Alexander Zverev 7-6(1) 6-4.
Lorenzo Musetti will fight against the world no.3 Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinal on Friday at 3:30 pm on CAMPO CENTRALE. Their record is 5-1 for Alcaraz.
Lorenzo was the finalist in Monte-Carlo (Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters).
Alexander Zverev and Lorenzo Musetti squared off 4 times. Their record is 3-1 for Musetti.