"He knows exactly what he's doing," Fearnley criticizes Zverev for his delay during their US Open match
After his three-set loss (6-4, 6-4, 6-4) to Zverev in the second round of the US Open, Fearnley went to the press area. While the Brit expressed frustration with his own performance, he also took the opportunity to criticize the German's behavior before they took the court.
According to him, the world number three is among the players who intentionally arrive late when called to the court—a tactic aimed at unsettling their opponent.
"I kind of expected it. It was the same in Australia. He always says, 'Oh, I'm sorry about that.' But he knows exactly what he's doing. Novak (Djokovic) did the same thing at Wimbledon. They take their time.
I don't know if it's within the rules. I don't really know them. If they call me, I show up, period. But if your opponent arrives late, you're left standing there waiting after just finishing a 20-minute warm-up."
The two players had indeed faced each other earlier this year at the Australian Open (a win for the German, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4).
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