Alexander Zverev ripped apart as rival publicly calls him out after rule change demand
Tallon Griekspoor has blasted Alexander Zverev’s time-wasting and said the new US Open champion has no chance of ending the year as World No.1. After Zverev overcame Shelton to win the Grand Slam 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-2, Shelton admitted he was irritated by the amount of ball-bouncing Zverev did after a first serve.
In 2018, the US Open introduced the 25-second shot clock, but it’s only in effect for the first serve, meaning players can take as long as they like before delivering their second. When the final was over, Shelton proposed a rule change that would include a shot clock for a player’s second serve, as well as their first. After his suggestion, Griekspoor said he finds it difficult to watch Zverev play due to the time he takes to get through his service routines. He also added that the 29-year-old is not close to the levels of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz when they are both fit and firing.
Speaking before the Netherlands’ Davis Cup tie against Colombia, Griekspoor admitted he was not fully focused on the final. He said: “There were other sports going on, and I simply have a hard time watching Zverev. Especially in this tournament, where he bounced the ball 400 times before every serve. It was really extreme, but it obviously helped him. Maybe I should do the same.”
Griekspoor also stated he expected Zverev to overcome the American, adding: “I expected it against Shelton. The precedents were obviously already clearly in favour of Zverev. I found the match rather mediocre. Shelton played very inconsistently and gave away two or three free points per game. You see what a first Slam final can do to a player.”
When asked if he believes Zverev can end the year by over-taking Sinner to become the World No. 1, Griekspoor instantly replied: “Absolutely not. There’s not a hair on my head that thinks so. I hope they (Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner) both return to great levels very soon.
“But if those two were to fail during a tournament, Zverev is always the one who is ready. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he ended his career with four or five slams.”
Griekspoor’s comments were similar to Shelton’s frustrations in New York. After he lost his first-ever Grand Slam final to the German, Shelton said: “I think that there should be some sort of rule. I’m not sure exactly how you would do it, limiting time on second serve.
You shouldn’t have unlimited time. I think it’s, for our sport, for the fans, I think it’s tough to be sitting there that long for the next play, the next action to happen. I’m sure at some point it will be something that these tournaments look at just because there is such a delay in play, you know, in some matches.”
Doubling down on his point of view, he added: “I shouldn’t have to sit at the line, you know, if he’s bouncing the ball 20 to 25 times, I shouldn’t have to just sit there for that. He should be able to start it. He never does less than ten bounces.
“I’m always going to be ready when he’s ready to serve. I think that 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.”
