'The worst moment of my life' – Zverev opens up on Mexican Open outburst

Alexander Zverez has labelled his expulsion from the Mexican Open as the ‘worst moment of his life’.

Zverev was kicked out of the ATP 500 tournament for verbally abusing umpire Alessandro Germani and smashing his racquet into the umpire’s chair multiple times during a doubles match.

The 24-year-old was fined $40,000 (£31,000) and forfeited more than $31,000 (£23,640) in prize money, while he has been subsequently handed a suspended eight-week ban and further suspended $25,000 (£19,060) fine by the ATP.

‘If I do that again, they have every right to ban me. It’s as simple as that,’ Zverev added.

‘If I do that again it means I haven’t learned, right? I think everyone in life deserves a second chance, everybody makes mistakes. But if you repeatedly make mistakes, it means you haven’t learned.

‘So if that happens again, you should ban me. But I’ll do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t happen, not only in the next year but my whole career.’

When quizzed on how he can ensure it will never happen again, Zverev said: ‘I’ve been doing work, meditation-wise.

‘I think there are stress situations in everyone’s life where stuff like this happens. I’m not the first, I won’t be the last for something bad to happen on the court.

‘I know who I am as a person and this doesn’t reflect on me. I have played until 5am the day before – the same day I went back to play doubles.

‘I am somebody that gives it his all on the court. I think a lot of top singles players would have maybe come out to the doubles court and if they would have lost the match, they would have been fine with it.

‘I would have never physically harmed anyone.’

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