Alexander Zverev suffered a bizarre ordeal during his quarterfinal clash with Novak Djokovic at the 2025 French Open. The strange incident was caused by the presence of a swarm of insects in the air during the evening session in Paris.
With a spot in the semifinals of the claycourt Major at stake, Zverev made a strong start to the contest by winning the first set 6-4. However, Djokovic fought back to dominate the second set, rushing away to a 4-1 lead after securing an early break. As the German served to stay in the set, he was spotted bending over and seemingly spitting on the court.
Former World No. 1 Jim Courier, who was commentating on the match for TNT Sports, was confused by Alexander Zverev’s “odd” reaction.
Trending
"That’s an odd reaction after that ace," Courier said.
Nevertheless, the reason for the World No. 3's distress became clear when he complained that he kept swallowing the flies that were buzzing around in the air.
"Swallowed about 50 flies already," Zverev said.
Novak Djokovic went on to dominate the match after the incident, claiming a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Alexander Zverev to reach the semifinals of the French Open. The Serb is aiming to win his record-extending 25th Grand Slam title at this year's event.
"A proven testament to myself and others that I can still play on the highest level" - Novak Djokovic after beating Alexander Zverev at French Open
Novak Djokovic was elated after defeating Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals of the French Open. Speaking in his post-match interview, the Serb sent out a warning that his victory proved he still had the ability to compete at the highest level against the toughest opponents.
"Beating one of the best players in the world on the biggest stages is something that I definitely work for, and I still, you know, push myself on a daily basis at this age because of these kinds of matches and these kinds of experiences. It's a proven kind of testament to myself that I can and to others that I can still play on the highest level," he said.
Following his win over Zverev, the 24-time Grand Slam champion will lock horns with Jannik Sinner in a blockbuster semifinal clash. The Italian defeated Alexander Bublik 6-1, 7-5, 6-0 to set up the meeting.
Djokovic and Sinner's head-to-head record stands level at 4-4. However, the World No. 1 has triumphed in their three most recent encounters, including a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory in their latest meeting in the 2024 Shanghai Masters final.
How did Novak Djokovic meet Jelena Ristic? All about the most admired couples in tennis
