"Is Alexander Zverev joking?" - Rennae Stubbs blasts German for making 'excuses' after his controversial Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner claim

Alexander Zverev's controversial claim that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are being favored by tournament directors didn't go down well with Rennae Stubbs. The Australian, a former World No. 1 in women's doubles, criticized the German for his take and urged him to improve his on-court performances to compete with Alcaraz and Sinner, who seem to have established a duopoly in contemporary men's tennis.

At the 2025 Shanghai Masters, World No. 3 Zverev raised eyebrows after he said that tournament directors in tennis are deliberately making court speeds similar across surfaces to favor the Spaniard and the Italian, who are currently ranked No. 1 and 2 respectively. The German said after his second-round victory against Valentin Royer in Shanghai:

"I hate that court speeds are the same in all tournaments. I know that the directors of all major events are moving in that direction because they want Jannik and Carlos to perform well and potentially reach the final. You couldn’t play tennis the same way on a grass court, hard court, and clay court. Nowadays, you can play almost the same way on every surface."

Appalled by Alexander Zverev's claim, Rennae Stubbs slammed the German on a recently-released episode of The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast. The Australian pointed to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's penchant for winning titles regardless of the surface they play on. She also criticized Zverev for failing to improve his own game.

"Is Zverev joking? If he thinks they are doing it to help Carlos and Jannik, here is a good example. It’s like these guys win on every surface. Put them indoors on a slow court, on an ice rink, and they are going to win. Because they are going to adapt. You came in on the wrong approach shots, and your forehand went south when it mattered. Stop making excuses!," Stubbs said.

Jannik Sinner taken aback by Alexander Zverev's startling claim; Italian politely dismisses German's take

Jannik Sinner (Source: Getty)

During a post-match interview at the Shanghai Masters, Jannik Sinner was asked to share his thoughts on Alexander Zverev's bewildering claim. The Italian was initially taken by surprise when he heard the claim and eventually went on to say that he and Carlos Alcaraz have no role in dictating court speeds and that they simply do their best to adapt to different playing conditions.

"You know, me and Carlos, we don't make the courts. It's not our decision. We try to adapt ourself in every situation. I feel like still every week is a bit different. I've played some great tennis even when it was faster courts. But I'm not making the courts, you know, so I just try to adapt and play my best tennis I can, and that's it," Sinner said.

In Shanghai, Alexander Zverev was surprisingly ousted by Arthur Rinderknech in the third round. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner retired mid-match at the same stage against Tallon Griekspoor after sustaining a severe cramp that led to the Italian needing assistance to get off the court. Carlos Alcaraz skipped the event altogether citing physical issues and the need for him to rest and recover.