Olympic Champion Alexander Zverev Says Behaviour Was "Unacceptable" In Acapulco

German Olympic tennis champion Alexander Zverev said there "was no excuse" for smashing his racket on the umpire's chair several times and his foul-mouthed rant at the official was "unacceptable", as he was expelled from the Acapulco Open by the ATP.

German Olympic tennis champion Alexander Zverev said there "was no excuse" for smashing his racket on the umpire's chair several times and his foul-mouthed rant at the official was "unacceptable", as he was expelled from the Acapulco Open by the ATP. Zverev, ranked three in the world, posted an apology posted on his Instagram account a few hours after his expulsion. "It is difficult to put into words how much I regret my behavior during and after the doubles match yesterday," he wrote.

"I have privately apologised to the chair umpire because my outburst towards him was wrong and unacceptable."

Zverev lost his cool after he and doubles partner Marcelo Melo of Brazil fell 6-2, 4-6, 10-6 to Briton Lloyd Glasspool and Finn Harri Heliovaara.

The 24-year-old defending singles champion smashed his racket three times just below umpire Alessandro Germani's feet before taking his seat and then rising again to shout at the official and smash the chair once more.

He had apparently been irked by a line call during the match.