Tennis Controversies of the Week: Novak Djokovic's shocking 3 AM finish at French Open leads to severe backlash; Alexander Zverev slammed for 'role model' take amid domestic abuse trial, and more

French Open was criticized for its poor scheduling as Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti concluded their third-round marathon match at 3 AM. In other news, Alexander Zverev drew criticism for his "role model" comment and private trial request amid an ongoing domestic abuse trial.

Meanwhile, a French media house sparked outrage for likening Denis Shapovalov to Andrey Rublev following a French Open outburst. Elena Rybakina called out for snubbing journalists’ questions with brief answers in an unusual French Open press conference.

Also, French Open director Amelie Mauresmo enforced an alcohol ban amid player complaints of unruly crowd behavior.

On that note, here's a recap of the top tennis controversies from last week:

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Novak Djokovic's 3 AM finish against Lorenzo Musetti in the French Open 3R stirred backlash

French Open came under fire for its poor scheduling of Novak Djokovic’s third-round match. The Serb's match against 30th seed Lorenzo Musetti started after 10:30 PM on Saturday, June 1, and ended at 3:07 AM on the next day. The Serb, who was behind by two sets to one, pulled off a remarkable turnaround to win the match 7-5, 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 in 4 hours and 29 minutes.

Casper Ruud, Coco Gauff, Serena Williams’ former coach Rennae Stubbs, and tennis fans expressed their dissatisfaction with the organizers for the late finish on social media.

Ruud highlighted the grueling nature of tennis following Djokovic's marathon match.

"Can tennis be considered one of the toughest sports in the world? What others sports make you play/compete/perform for 4+ hours at 3 am?" Ruud wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Gauff also addressed the issue, stating that such late finishes are detrimental to the player's health.

"I definitely think finishing at 3 a.m. is -- I feel like a lot of times people think you're done, but really, 3 a.m., then you have press and then you have to shower, eat, and then a lot of times people do treatments, so that's probably not going to bed until 5 at the earliest, maybe 6, and even 7 a.m. I definitely think it's not healthy," Gauff said (at 0:43).

Stubbs expressed her frustration with the timing of the match.

"I can't believe they're still playing tennis at 3am! Don't tell me this is ok! Cause it’s not," Stubbs posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Both Novak Djokovic and Casper Ruud advanced to the fourth round, where they will face 23rd seed Francisco Cerundolo and 12th seed Taylor Fritz, respectively. Coco Gauff, on the other hand, reached the quarterfinals where she will face eighth seed Ons Jabeur.

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Alexander Zverev criticized for role model remarks amid domestic abuse case and private trial request

Alexander Zverev at the BMW Open

Alexander Zverev faced criticism for requesting a private trial and claiming he wants to be a "role model" for children amid his ongoing assault trial involving his ex-partner and the mother of his child.

Following his French Open third-round win over Tallon Griekspoor 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(10- 3), Zverev acknowledged his past on-court outbursts and stated he has changed.

"Well, I think it comes maybe with age; it comes with maturity. I told myself I want to become a different type of player and a different type of role model as well in a way," Alexander Zverev said [at 2:09].

"I don't break rackets anymore; I barely get warnings. It's something that I kind of had this conversation with myself, and I realized that I don't do any good to myself, especially to people and kids watching," he added.

Tennis fans on social media criticized his remarks, given the trial. Additionally, fans also criticized Zverev's legal team's request for a private trial to protect his privacy and his daughter Mayla's welfare.

Alexander Zverev will now take on 13th seed Holger Rune in the Round of 16.

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Media outlet came under fire for comparing Denis Shapovalov to Andrey Rublev following French Open outburst

A French television network faced backlash for likening Denis Shapovalov’s behavior to Andrey Rublev’s meltdown on the court. During his 2024 French Open third-round loss to Hubert Hurkacz (6-3, 7-6(0), 4-6, 6-1), Shapovalov lost his temper and smashed his racquet on his head after losing a point in the second set.

Eurosport posted a video of the incident on their X (formerly Twitter) account, comparing Shapovalov's behavior to Rublev's outbursts.

"Shapovalov went full Rublev at Roland-Garros," the post was captioned.

Tennis fans criticized the media outlet for this comparison, calling it insensitive given Rublev's long-term struggle with mental health issues.

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French Open director Amelie Mauresmo implemented alcohol ban amid player complaints of crowd misconduct

French Open director Amelie Mauresmo responded to recent player complaints about fan behavior by prohibiting alcohol consumption in the stands. David Goffin reported fans spitting gum at him during his match against a local French player, while Iga Swiatek urged fans to refrain from screaming during rallies to maintain player focus.

In light of these issues, Mauresmo opted to ban alcohol from the stands, although it will still be available for purchase within the French Open grounds. Additionally, she issued strict warnings to fans, instructing chair umpires to remove spectators displaying disruptive behavior that affects the players' concentration.

“There are a few people who cross the line. Yet I want to be uncompromising about respect for the players and the game. I’ve given instructions to the umpires that they should be hyper-reactive so that they can control the court, if, for example, there are [shouts] between the first and second serves," Amelie Mauresmo said to media on Thursday (via Tennis Majors).

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Elena Rybakina faced backlash for her terse responses to journalists in French Open press conference

Elena Rybakina at the 2023 French Open

Elena Rybakina appeared hesitant to engage with journalists at the 2024 French Open, offering terse responses before abruptly concluding the press conference. After her first-round 6-2, 6-3 victory over Greet Minnen, Rybakina displayed irritation and disinterest in the repeated inquiries regarding her previous illness and opponents.

"I don’t know guys, the questions are quite the same so I don’t know what to say anymore," Rybakina said at one point.

Tennis fans were left puzzled by Rybakina's demeanor at the press conference and expressed their opinions on social media.

Elena Rybakina reached the Round of 16 in the tournament, where she will face 15th seed Elina Svitolina.