Rennae Stubbs explains Alexander Zverev ‘booing’ comment – ‘Zverev agreed!’
Rennae Stubbs has brushed off suggestions that she was serious when she said tennis fans should boo Alexander Zverev over his excessive ball bouncing before serving.
Zverev made headlines at the US Open as he bounced the ball more than 12,000 times during his first five matches at the tournament, and that figure was no doubt close to the 13,000 mark by the time the chair umpire called “game, set and match” after he beat Ben Shelton in the final.
Several of his opponents have complained, but the German insisted he was not doing it deliberately, saying after his semi-final win: “I have no idea why [I am bouncing the ball so much]. I’m not doing it on purpose. I saw the stat. Like, I bounced it 12,000 times or something like that (laughing). That’s quite funny.
“No, I’m not counting in my head. I’m not getting a certain number or anything like that. I don’t know why it increased so much. I think today it decreased again, because I saw it before the semi-final, so I was, like, Okay, it’s got to go less.
“Then I forget about it every once in a while, and then it goes up to I don’t know what number it is.”
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The routine certainly upset Shelton in the final, as the American cut a frustrated figure during the multiple bounces while he also called for a rule change after the match, stating in his post-match press conference: “He never does less than ten bounces. I’m always going to be ready when he’s ready to serve.
“I think that is a stupid rule that you got to be sitting there if it’s a guy who has his routine. You know, as long as you’re ready when he puts his hands together and starts bouncing the ball, that’s what should matter.”
Former doubles world No 1 Stubbs also complained on the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast as she stated: “Did you see (US Open finalist) Ben Shelton? He was standing there like he was waiting for his girlfriend to pick up a coffee.
“What are we doing here? Last time it was 25 bounces, this time it was 12?! I think we have to shame them. Just start booing for the 10th bounce. Shame!”
Of course, many tennis fans criticised the former tennis star on social media over the “ridiculous” suggestion, but one person pointed out that she was clearly not serious, writing on Instagram: “All you crazies don’t understand humor. Rennae is not truly suggesting that people should start booing Zverev. She was joking.
[Karen] Kachanov was annoyed by the excessive bouncing! Shelton was annoyed by the excessive bouncing! Zverev, himself, said, ‘I’m probably bouncing it too much’. The rules need to be changed.”
And four-time women’s doubles Grand Slam champion Stubbs weighed in.
“@suitepotato49 well well well! Thankyou! Also also these people don’t understand is that I am talking about his 25 bounces in between the 1st and 2nd serve! Not anything to do with the serve clock!
“The serve clock is off in between serves. I was live in person watching Ben stand up and not even prepare to return serve because it was taking so long to actually serve.
“I have never seen a player bounce 12 times, then the next time 20 plus bounces, then maybe 18 times, it’s ridiculous!
“And as u said even Zverev agreed! And yes I was joking, like the scene from game of thrones! Shame shame shame! Thank you for having A and sense of humor and B and brain in your head!!!”
