Why Alexander Zverev was once booed by the crowd during an interview after beating Roger Federer at the ATP Finals

Alexander Zverev has a very sturdy file at the ATP Finals, having won the prestigious year-end event on two separate events.

The German’s most latest triumph came at the 2021 version, when he defeated Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev en route to the title. His first, though, was in 2018 in London, where he had to go through not one, but two members of the huge three to get his arms on the trophy.

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Before battling previous Djokovic in the last that 12 months, Zverev overcame Roger Federer in a thrilling semifinal, crammed with drama.

Alexander Zverev’s controversial match with Roger Federer

A set to the good, Zverev had been pressured to a second-set tiebreak, which the Swiss began properly. Federer was receiving while up 4-3 in the shootout, but in the center of a level, a ball boy dropped a ball and went to grab it during play, inflicting Zverev to stop in his tracks and shout: “Wait, wait, wait”.

Zverev was properly within his rights to do so, as the guidelines state that if such a hindrance happens, a let should be performed. But the pro-Federer crowd inside London’s O2 Arena did not appear to care, and Zverev, who went on to win the tiebreak and the match, 7-5, 7-6, was showered with boos when attempting to clarify his facet of the story in his post-match interview.

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Addressing the scenario in his post-match press convention, Zverev said: “I mean, the ball boy dropped the ball in the middle of the rally, then ran for it. Without even thinking, I stopped the rally, said it was a let. That’s how it is with the rules.

“Obviously, the crowd did not respect it, which I was a little bit upset – not upset, but I was a little bit unhappy at the finish with the booing and response of the crowd. Maybe they did not know what really occurred. That was perhaps half of the response.

“But, you know, at the end of the day, I said sorry to Roger at the net. He said, Look, you don’t even have to apologise. This is all part of the game. This happens.”

Roger Federer’s response to the controversy at the ATP Finals

Asked if the incident with the ball boy affected him, Federer said in his press convention: “I mean, what do you mean, ‘it affected me’? Of course it did. It got replayed. I got aced. So, yes, it did affect me.

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“I do not know what the guidelines are. I just think I was attempting to think what I would have finished in his place, you know. It’s daring to stop the rally because I do not know if it’s an umpire’s resolution or not.

“While you’re hitting, that might go through your head. So I would have probably said, Whew, I’ll probably keep on playing, unless the ball really rolls into the court quickly.

“It’s a very tough call. I did not see it. The umpire did not see it. But, you know, once the ball boy said that’s what occurred, linesman confirmed, the umpire believes them, which is clearly true, what is there to be finished? It’s regular to replay the level from that level on.

“It was obviously a big call. Instead of being in the rally in a decent position, you get aced, yes, it makes a difference. It could have made a difference. That’s all hypothetically speaking now at this point.”

Federer returned to the semifinals of the ATP Finals the following 12 months, but lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas, marking his last-ever match at the occasion.