In the middle of the second set in the match against Stefanos Tsitsipas: Alexander Zverev sits in a break on his bench. His eyes go down, there is his bag and TV recordings show how the best German tennis player with the thumb of his right hand plays on something. Was this possibly a smartphone to get instructions for the further course of the match? This accusation has been circulating in social networks ever since.
Zverev defended himself after the 3: 6, 2: 6 defeat against his Greek opponent against the charge that he had let one of his carers help. "My phone was in the locker room," Zverev said. "I'm not sure what you saw there, but it could not have been my cell phone, maybe a water bottle." Mobile phones and communications of any kind are prohibited during matches because they offer the possibility for illegal coaching. Zverev is cared for by his father during the World Tour Finals.
DPA
Zverev had missed by his defeat against Tsitsipas the premature entry into the semi-finals of the elite tournament of the eight season best. In his last preliminary round match, however, he has on Friday against the Russian Daniil Medvedev the chance to reach the knockout stage with a win. If Tsitsipas wins against Rafael Nadal in the other match of the group "Andre Agassi", he will even have to win a set.