German tennis player Alexander Zverev has been handed an eight-week suspended ban after being thrown out of a recent tournament for attacking an umpire's chair with his racket.
Zverev, the 24-year-old current world number three, was disqualified from an ATP 500 tournament in Acapulco, Mexico last month after repeatedly hitting the chair in anger while the umpire was still sat in it following defeat in a doubles match.
In addition to the suspended ban Zverev has been fined $40,000 - the maximum possible fine for unsportsmanlike conduct - and has forfeited his prize money and ranking points from the tournament.
According to Eurosport, a review conducted by the ATP’s senior vice president of rules and competition Miro Bratoev found that Zverev 'committed Aggravated Behaviour under the Player Major Offense section of ATP Rules.'
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Yet the ruling means that Zverev will not have to serve a ban unless he commits another offence in the next 12 months.
The eight-week suspension, plus an additional $25,000 fine, would only come into force if the tennis player receives another code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct or for 'verbal or physical abuse of an official, opponent, spectator or any other person while on-court or on-site.'
Zverev is set to take part in the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells - considered the biggest tennis tournament outside of the four annual grand slams - this week.
In a statement following his disqualification from Acapulco, he apologised for his behaviour, saying: 'It is difficult to put into words how much I regret my behavior during and after the doubles match yesterday.'
'I have privately apologised to the chair umpire because my outburst towards him was wrong and unacceptable, and I am only disappointed in myself. It just should not have happened and there is no excuse,' he said, adding: 'As you know, I leave everything on the court. Yesterday, I left too much. I am going to take the coming days to reflect on my actions and how I can ensure that it will not happen again. I am sorry for letting you down.'
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The verdict has been criticised as too lenient by some ex-pros, including Mats Wilander, who said Zverev 'should not be allowed to get on a tennis court until he has gone through some kind of rehab, some kind of time.'
Last week, Serena Williams said if she had done what Zverev did on court, she would probably be 'in jail.'
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Topics: Sport, World News