Alexander Zverev had a pretty embarrassing moment at the 2025 Canadian Open, but he handled it like a pro.
The world No. 3 was battling Australian Adam Walton in his first match since that shocking first-round loss at Wimbledon. And honestly, Walton was giving him all kinds of trouble.
The Aussie’s smart shot-making and steady play pushed this year’s Australian Open runner-up all the way to a tiebreak in the opening set.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Zverev | 28 | 6,885 | 34 - 10 |
At 7-6 in the tiebreak, Zverev had set point on his own serve. He fired a first serve down the line and immediately started celebrating like he’d won.
There was just one problem.
The ball was out. The automated line-calling system clearly called "out," but Zverev was so pumped up he didn’t hear it. He was jumping around, screaming with joy, thinking he’d taken the set.
"Fault!" umpire Richard Haigh shouted, trying to get the German’s attention.
Zverev looked up in complete confusion. The crowd burst into laughter at the awkward mix-up.
"Fault!" Haigh called again, this time with a little smile. The message was clear – you still need to hit a second serve, buddy.
How to Handle Embarrassment
What happened next showed why Zverev’s been at the top of the game for so long.
Instead of getting frustrated or rattled, the 28-year-old just smiled and walked back to the line. That’s exactly the right approach when you’ve just made yourself look foolish on international TV.
His second serve was absolutely perfect. Deep to Walton’s forehand, forcing a weak return.
Zverev pounced with a cross-court backhand winner into the corner. This time, when he celebrated, there was no interruption from the line-calling system.
Interestingly, his reaction to actually winning the set was way more subdued than his premature celebration. Just a quick fist-pump to the crowd in Toronto.
Moving Forward
Zverev went on to win 7-6, 6-4 and advance to face Matteo Arnaldi on Thursday. That match should be filled with the kind of brutal rallies and shot-making that tennis fans love.
The three-time Grand Slam runner-up is the No. 1 seed this week, but only because the big names pulled out.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz both withdrew from the tournament. So did Novak Djokovic, Matteo Berrettini, and Grigor Dimitrov.
That gives Zverev his best shot at a title in months, but it also means everyone’s expecting him to win. No pressure, right?
Dimitrov’s withdrawal is especially concerning since he’s also missing the US Open due to that injury he picked up at Wimbledon.
Before arriving in Toronto, Zverev spent time training with Toni Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy. He’s hoping to work with Nadal more in the future, though the logistics might be tricky since Toni’s pretty busy with the academy.
If Zverev can avoid any more premature celebrations, he’s got a real chance to make some noise this week.
