Two days after blaming the worst courts he has ever played on for his straight-sets loss to Luciano Darderi, Alexander Zverev took to social media to accuse the Tennis Channel of favoritism and wasting players’ time on promotional videos.
Zverev’s 1-6, 7-6(10), 6-0 defeat in Rome ended his title defense and prompted sharp criticism of both the playing surface and the broadcaster. In his post-match press conference the world No. 3 called the court conditions “the worst I’ve ever played on,” citing unpredictable bounce and strong wind. He later expanded his frustration online, claiming the Tennis Channel had shown favoritism in its coverage and had required him to film promotional material that he felt was unnecessary.