Alexander Zverev was looking to win his first ATP title of the season in Buenos Aires.
The German world number two debuted on the South American clay in 2025 and looked to be enjoying his time at the Argentina Open.
After Zverev beat Dusan Lajovic in the first round, he thanked the ‘passionate’ crowd for their support.
He wasn’t happy in the quarter-finals, however, as Zverev grew frustrated with the partisan fans during his contest with home favorite Francisco Cerundolo.
Zverev lost the match in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, and made his feelings heard after the match.
“If you are not an Argentine player, it is very difficult to play in this tournament,” he said during his post-match press conference.
“I feel very sorry for the organization.”
His comments didn’t go down too well with the Argentinian fans, who have now shared their thoughts on the 27-year-old.
South American tennis fans took to X to respond to Zverev’s controversial comments.
“He’s so crazy, before he was always talking about how he was dying to play in Argentina again and now he’s crying,” said one fan.
“He’s so whiney it’s insane, you have to expect it, every Latin tourney has been like this for years, and it’s no different than when you play the Davis Cup, and there’s a whole band going during the cheering too,” added another.
“Europeans have to understand that in South America there is no tennis culture, it is all about football,” explained one fan.
“The public will try to do everything possible to help the home team win.
“I hope they declare the same when they go to other countries, because people behave the same or worse.”
“Why he lost, if he had won, he would say that they are the best audience in the world,” said another.
“As long as they put on the right show, they will keep coming.
“[Thiago Seyboth] Wild and [Joao] Fonseca eliminated five Argentines with the crowd against them.”
Brazilian stars Wild and Fonseca have indeed enjoyed success over the home favorites this week, scoring several impressive victories.
One fan couldn’t understand Zverev’s complaints as they looked back upon an event the German took part in last year.
“I can’t understand why Alexander Zverev is complaining about Crowd behavior last night,” they said.
“You are world number two and you were leading set and break up.
“When Zverev was playing in Hamburg last year, he got the same home crowd support and still lost that final to [Arthur] Fils.”
Some fans were more understanding of Zverev’s point of view, as they criticized those in attendance on Friday night.
“Because of a minority of idiots, fewer and fewer famous tennis players want to come and play,” said one fan.
“Then we want them to give us a [ATP] 500.”
“Zverev is right,” added another.
One tennis fan looked back on the history of the Argentina Open, questioning why Zverev couldn’t perform while other foreign players could.
“Of the 24 champions, only six were Argentines,” they said.
“He needs to play more and cry less.”
As one fan mentioned, Argentinian players have only won the title in Buenos Aires six times since the event returned to the ATP Tour in 2001.
Far less than the successes of one other nation, whose tennis stars have excelled on Court Guillermo Vilas over the years.
Titles at the Argentina Open | Nation | Players | Most recent title |
10 | Spain | Carlos Moya, Tommy Robredo, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Nicolas Almagro, David Ferrer, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz | 2023 – Carlos Alcaraz |
6 | Argentina | Guillermo Coria, Gaston Gaudio, Juan Monaco, David Nalbandian, Diego Schwartzman, Facundo Diaz Acosta | 2024 – Facundo Diaz Acosta |
2 | Norway | Casper Ruud | 2022 – Casper Ruud |
2 | Austria | Dominic Thiem | 2018 – Dominic Thiem |
1 | Italy | Marco Cecchinato | 2019 – Marco Cecchinato |
1 | Ukraine | Alexandr Dolgopolov | 2017 – Alexandr Dolgopolov |
1 | Chile | Nicolas Massu | 2002 – Nicolas Massu |
1 | Brazil | Gustavo Kuerten | 2001 – Gustavo Kuerten |
Spanish players have dominated in Buenos Aires in recent times, with Carlos Alcaraz’s victory in 2023 their most recent triumph.
The number one seed dropped just one set all tournament as he clinched Spain’s tenth title in Buenos Aires.
Pedro Martinez could take Spain’s tally to 11 this year, while Cerundolo looks to close the gap with a win for Argentina.
The pair face off in Saturday’s second semi-final after Fonseca plays Serbia’s Laslo Djere.
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