A spectator was removed from Arthur Ashe Stadium in the early hours of Tuesday morning following a complaint from Alexander Zverev, the 12th seed from Germany. Zverev raised concerns that the individual had used a highly inappropriate phrase associated with Hitler during his fourth-round match.
In a grueling match lasting nearly five hours, Zverev managed to defeat the sixth seed, Jannik Sinner, with a scoreline of 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. However, during the fourth set, Zverev halted play to inform chair umpire James Keothavong about the offensive comment made by the spectator.
Zverev expressed his frustration to Keothavong, stating, “He just said the most famous Hitler phrase there is in this world. This is unacceptable. This is unbelievable.” In response, Keothavong promptly attempted to identify the individual but received no cooperation.
Keothavong announced, “We’re going to get him out,” and urged the fans to maintain fairness and respect for both players.
Shortly thereafter, security personnel, with the assistance of ESPN’s Brad Gilbert and other spectators, located and removed the offending spectator from the stadium amidst loud booing. A spokesperson for the USTA stated, “A disparaging remark was directed towards Zverev. The fan was identified and escorted from the stadium.”
Despite the unsettling incident, Zverev described his victory as one of the highlights of his career, particularly given his return from a serious ankle injury sustained during last year’s French Open while playing against Rafael Nadal.
“I guess I can say I’m back,” he declared. “It’s one of the best moments of my career.”
In the quarterfinals, Zverev is set to face defending champion and top seed Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday.