Zverev Clashes With Umpire Over Time Violations in Miami Open Loss to Sinner

German star erupts at chair umpire Greg Allensworth during semifinal defeat against Jannik Sinner.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 3:04am

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Alexander Zverev was involved in a heated exchange with chair umpire Greg Allensworth over time violation calls during his Miami Open semifinal loss to Jannik Sinner. Zverev argued he wasn't given enough time between points, drawing jeers from the crowd when he received a time violation warning while serving at 3-3 in the second set.

Why it matters

Time violations are a common source of frustration for players, who must adhere to a strict 25-second limit between points. Zverev's outbursts highlight the tension that can arise when umpires enforce the rules, especially in high-stakes matches like a Grand Slam semifinal.

The details

Zverev, who had won his quarterfinal match comfortably, was unable to halt Sinner's dominance in their head-to-head. Sinner claimed the first set 6-3 and edged the second 7-6(4) in the tiebreak to reach the Miami Open final. The time violation incidents occurred when Zverev was trailing 4-1 in the opening set and again while serving at 3-3, 40-30 in the second set.

  • Zverev received a time violation warning while trailing 4-1 in the first set.
  • Zverev received another time violation while serving at 3-3, 40-30 in the second set.

The players

Alexander Zverev

A German professional tennis player ranked World No. 4, who was competing in the Miami Open semifinal against Jannik Sinner.

Jannik Sinner

An Italian professional tennis player ranked World No. 2, who defeated Zverev to reach the Miami Open final.

Greg Allensworth

The chair umpire who issued the time violation warnings to Zverev during the match.

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What they’re saying

“I was. I know which ones you're talking about… on the Ad side. I was.”

— Alexander Zverev, Tennis Player

“That's for you.”

— Alexander Zverev, Tennis Player

What’s next

Jannik Sinner will face Czech star Jiří Lehečka in the Miami Open final, where he is heavily favored to win his first career Miami title.

The takeaway

Time violations continue to be a source of frustration for players, who must balance the need to maintain a brisk pace of play with their desire to have sufficient time to prepare between points. Zverev's outbursts highlight the tension that can arise when umpires strictly enforce the rules, even in high-stakes matches.