French Open final

Germans scolded after “scandalous scene” in Paris

"Scandalous scene in Zverev drama" - that's the bold headline in the German newspaper "Bild". A wrong decision by chair umpire Renaud Lichtenstein in the French Open final causes anger among our neighbors.

What a thriller of a final! Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev played world-class tennis on Sunday, with the Spaniard coming out on top in five sets to win his first title at the French Open. Zverev, on the other hand, still has to wait for his first Grand Slam triumph. An umpire's decision after the final provided plenty to talk about.

"This scene raises questions", writes the German newspaper "Bild" and even speaks of a "scandal". At 1:2 from Zverev's point of view in the fifth set, the German earned two break points. Alcaraz showed nerves of steel and hit his second serve just wide. But chair umpire Lichtenstein corrected the line judge's out call. A wrong decision - as TV pictures show, the Spaniard's second serve was two millimeters out of bounds.

No Hawk-Eye
In the end, Alcaraz got his service game through after all. Bad luck for Zverev - unlike at the other major tournaments, the Hawk-Eye is not used at the French Open. "At the end of the day, of course, it makes a huge difference whether you're 1:3 down in the fifth set or 2:2 and then the match is open again. But it is what it is. Umpires are only human - and they make mistakes," says Zverev, who also emphasizes: "In situations like this, you hope that there are no mistakes."