"Most cringe player maybe of all time" - Fans call out Alexander Zverev for 'rude' response to Italian Open interviewer

Alexander Zverev gave a somewhat cold response to an on-court interviewer at Foro Italico following his second-round win over Argentina's Camilo Ugo Carabelli at the Italian Open on Saturday (May 10). The German has since been criticized by a large section of tennis fans on social media for his reaction.

Having received a first-round bye, second-seeded Zverev was in sublime form against the 60th-ranked Ugo Carabelli, downing the Argentine 6-2, 6-1 in just over an hour to reach the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome. Following his victory, the defending champion was asked to give his thoughts on his early exits at the preceding 1000-level events by the interviewer. This question seemingly rubbed the 28-year-old the wrong way if his answer was anything to go by:

"I mean, I didn't," Alexander Zverev said in his response to the interviewer suggesting that he had suffered a fair few early losses at this year's 1000-level events. "But you know, I won a tournament two weeks ago, so I don't really like to think about it. That's your job thinking about stupid questions when the match is an hour long, so I'll leave it up to you." [via X/@vronsky_anna]

While a few fans defended Alexander Zverev for his reply, most on X (formerly Twitter) were outraged by the World No. 2's apparent lack of respect towards the interviewer. One fan pointed out that the title victory the German was referring to, which came at the BMW Open in Munich a couple of weeks ago, wasn't all that great, as he faced relatively easy opposition at the ATP 500 tournament.

"Flexing a 500 title where you had to beat just ONE top 30 player... loser," the fan claimed on X (formerly Twitter).

More fans subsequently took the opportunity to air their grievances against Zverev.

"He’s a woman abuser so him being rude is the least of his offenses and it surprising one bit! Easily the most cringe player maybe of all time," one fan insisted.

"It’s absolutely ridiculous and saddening that a psychopath and a threat to other human beings is let loose to play tennis," another one mentioned.

"What an idiot. Just a simple and legitimate question from the interviewer. Alexander Zverev is not a likable character," one fan wrote.

"This total loser omg… interviewer was just saying the truth and he started bitching because the fact that he’s been a flop for most of this season was acknowledged," another one insisted.

Two fans, meanwhile, were extremely angry at the two-time Italian Open champion's inability to answer the interviewer's question in a straightforward manner.

"I'm actually thinking about what it would be like if any other top 10 players was asked this and NONE of them would have this reaction. Such an a**," one fan insisted.

"The interviewer was correct he has had early losses in the masters. That tournament he won was not a masters. Such an a**hole," another one mentioned.

---

Alexander Zverev has yet to go past the quarterfinals stage of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament in 2025

Alexander Zverev tracks down a ball at the Italian Open 2025 | Image Source: Getty

For what it's worth, while the interviewer in question wasn't exactly right in claiming that Alexander Zverev had exited early at every 1000-level event he has played this year, the 28-year-old did fail to have an impact at any big tournament following his runner-up finish at the 2025 Australian Open.

Despite having been the top-seeded player in the men's singles draw of the Indian Wells Masters, the Miami Masters, the Monte-Carlo Masters, and the Madrid Masters, he failed to make an impact as he lost in the second round, the fourth round, the second round, and the fourth round of the respective tournaments. The German will be eager to change that with a deep run in Rome this fortnight, especially considering that the 1000-level event is the final big claycourt tournament in the lead-up to the French Open later in May.