Men’s tennis governing body has handed world number three Alexander Zverev a suspended eight-week ban for smashing his racket against the umpire’s chair at last month’s ATP 500 event in Acapulco, for which he was expelled from the tournament.
Zverev was fined $20,000 for verbal abuse, $20,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct, and forfeited more than $31,000 in prize money and all rankings points earned from singles and doubles action at the Abierto Mexicano tournament.
Following a review, the ATP found the 24-year-old German had committed “aggravated behaviour” and issued an additional fine of $25,000 and an eight-week ban from any ATP-sanctioned event.
The ATP said, however, the ban and the additional fine were suspended, providing that over a probation period ending one year after the incident, Zverev does not incur any more fines for unsportsmanlike conduct.