"Like a punch in the face" - Fans cast doubt over Alexander Zverev getting over fight with Arthur Fils with champagne celebration after Hamburg final
Several fans questioned the sincerity of Alexander Zverev's champagne celebrations with Arthur Fils after their intense battle in the Hamburg Open final. Fils eventually won the match and clinched his first ATP 500 title.
Alexander Zverev convincingly won the first set 6-3 against the Frenchman. However, Fils mounted a strong comeback, winning the second set 6-3. At 5-5 and 30-40 down during the fifth set, Fils attempted an underarm serve in the match, which was initially called in but later ruled out after the umpire's review.
Moreover, Arthur Fils' actions weren't received well by the crowd, who responded with jeers, taking a stand for the home player. Zverev also seemed to take issue with his opponent's behavior.
During the break in play, Fils approached Zverev, who was sitting on his courtside chair. Tempers seemingly flared as they engaged in an argument, which was later calmed down by the chair umpire's intervention.
Despite their heated argument, Alexander Zverev and Fils shared a funny moment during the post-match ceremony. The German, with a subtle smile on his face, was seen spilling champagne over the Frenchman and even poured some into his mouth.
A fan commented on a clip of the ceremony shared by TennisActu on X, suggesting that the apparent friendliness between Zverev and Fils might not be genuine.
"Am I the only one watching this and thinking the underlying vibe is not that amicable?" they wrote.
Many of the fans on X shared the view that Zverev's actions seemed more like a subtle insult than a sincere celebration:
"I don’t want to stir up unnecessary drama or conflict…but just judging the actions based of the character of Zverev…this definitely seemed more like a punch in the face disguised than a genuine celebration."
"100%. Sort of shocked people don’t see the bullying energy actually," another fan said.
One fan pointed out that Zverev also complimented Fils and hugged him which was not included in the clip, suggesting that the German's celebration was genuine.
"You’re missing about 10 seconds. You see Zverev telling Fils good job and hugged him," they commented.
Here are a few more reactions from the fans:
"I think I agree," a fan said.
"100%. It was quite uncomfortable to watch ..," one fan expressed.
"I thought … what a mean person Sasha is.. you can see he was doing it with a hatred/angry feeling," another chimed in.
"Such a great champion" - Arthur Fils on Alexander Zverev following their clash at the Hamburg Open
Despite the heated discussion with Alexander Zverev during the match, Arthur Fils was prompt to praise his opponent, calling him a "great champion."
The 20-year-old admitted that he knew winning against Zverev would not be easy. Fils said during his on court interview:
"Sascha [Zverev] is such a great champion. He is an unbelievable champion. He is playing unbelievable tennis since the start of the year, making final in French Open. I knew from the start that it wasn't going to be easy. First set, I was taking care of it. I think I had a bit of luck but I was playing great, then second set he managed to play better than me and to raise his level."
Fils added that he knew he had to fight until the last ball and was pleased with his performance.
"Then we close the roof and when we close the roof, I knew it was going to be like a dog fight. I know just to fight until the last ball. I think that I am practicing for since a long time for this kind of event, so I'm really happy."
With his win over Alexander Zverev, Fils has narrowed the German's lead in their head-to-head which now stands at 2-1. Before their encounter in the Hamburg Open final, they had faced each other at the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle, where Zverev emerged victorious.