Jannik Sinner forced opponent to change shoes three times in mammoth US Open clash
Jannik Sinner's opponent Alexander Zverev was forced to change his footwear three times during a gruelling US Open clash.
In a gruelling five-set victory at last year's US Open, German tennis star Alexander Zverev had to switch out his shoes three times against Jannik Sinner. The current world No. 4 overcame Sinner of Italy in a mammoth Round of 16 Game in 2023.
Zverev, who narrowly missed out on clinching the title in the 2020 US Open final against Dominic Thiem, demonstrated his return to peak form with him climbing from his previous No. 12 ranking at last year's tournament. However, his footwear didn't quite keep up with his performance, deteriorating set after set under the New York heat.
Post-match, Zverev commented on the shoe debacle and acknowledged the impact of the conditions inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium, stating: "The humidity is what killed us both."
He continued: "I'm usually a guy that doesn't sweat. I had to change everything twice. I had to change shoes three or four times."
Zverev's footwear issues weren't the only distraction during the match that stretched into the early morning hours. A spectator was removed from the stadium after Zverev reported hearing an offensive chant to the umpire.
Post-match, Zverev disclosed what had happened: "He started singing the anthem of Hitler that was back in the day," he explained. "It was 'Deutschland uber alles' and it was a bit too much."
"I think he was getting involved in the match for a long time, though. I don't mind it. I love when fans are loud. I love when fans are emotional. But I think me being German and not really proud of that history, it's not really a great thing to do, and I think him sitting in one of the front rows, I think a lot of people heard it. So if I just don't react, I think it's bad from my side."
Despite the unsettling incident, the former US Open finalist expressed elation over his performance. "This is one of the best moments of my career after my comeback and after everything," he stated. "I'm looking forward to what's next.
Zverev was comprehensively beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in a straight-sets quarter-final. The Spaniard was beaten by eventual runner-up Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals, with Novak Djokovic winning his 24th and latest Grand Slam title.
Current world No. 1 Sinner faces American home hero Taylor Fritz in this year's final at Queens on Sunday. The Italian won his first Grand Slam in the Australian Open earlier this year.
