Alexander Zverev exited the 2025 Italian Open after losing to the home favorite Lorenzo Musetti in the quarterfinals. Emotions seemingly got the better of the defending champion during the match, as he engaged in a heated argument with the tournament officials and the umpire over the quality of the balls.
The German’s on-court behavior drew criticism from Serena Williams’ former coach Rick Macci, who dismissed it as mere excuses.
Rick Macci Criticizes Alexander Zverev’s Behavior in Italian Open Exit
Musetti showcased his resilience in the first set, fending off three set points in a row on his return. He eventually forced a tiebreak and won the opener 7-6(1). The Italian exerted little effort against Zverev in the second set, winning 6-4 to conclude the match in two hours and 15 minutes.
Alexander Zverev’s outburst in the second set made headlines, as he threw a ball at tournament officials and voiced his frustration over their quality.
“Look at it. It’s impossible to play tennis with this sh*t. If this is entertaining tennis, I don’t know what the f**k we’re doing. I’m tired of this. We’re playing with f**king kids’ balls nowadays. No wonder the guy is f**king six feet behind the baseline,” Zverev complained.
Williams’ former coach, Rick Macci, however, was unimpressed by the World No. 2’s behavior and urged him to accept the circumstances without making excuses, as they apply equally to both players.
“Zverev was complaining about the balls too fuzzy and too soft. Always remember one thing. It is what it is. Your opponent hits the same ball. Greatness does not make excuses, they excuse opponents,” he wrote on X.
Zverev was complaining about the balls too fuzzy and too soft. Always remember one thing. It is what it is. Your opponent hits the same ball. Greatness does not make excuses they excuse opponents.
— Rick Macci (@RickMacci)
Alexander Zverev Voiced Frustration Over Match Balls in His Press Conference
Zverev later addressed the issue in his post-match press conference as well. The 28-year-old noted that the previous clay-court events used the same balls. Those in Rome, meanwhile, felt larger and harder to hit, a recurring issue other players have raised lately.
“Balls were a joke today. Generally speaking, this is a subject we’ve had over the last three, four years now. Players are talking about it all the time. They say we play with the same ball in Monaco, Madrid, Munich. Then we come here, and the ball is totally different. The ball is very, very big. It’s very difficult to hit winners here. It’s just how it is these days,” he said.
Zverev’s hopes of defending his Rome title ended on Wednesday, while Musetti now aims to overcome third seed Carlos Alcaraz. The German will now aim for a triumphant run at the French Open in Paris, where he was the runner-up last year.