"Take the mic away" - Fans slam Chris Evert after comments on Alexander Zverev during French Open commentary stint

Chris Evert came under fire from fans after talking about Alexander Zverev while commentating at the 2025 French Open. The former WTA No. 1 and 18-time Major singles champion suggested that the German's tennis suits hard and grass courts more than clay, prompting many fans to voice their blatant disagreement with the tennis legend.

On Thursday, May 29, Evert was on commentary duty for TNT Sports, covering the men's singles second-round match between No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev and Jesper De Jong. During the contest, which the German eventually won in four sets, Evert said:

"Zverev is a big court power player. But I just don't think this is his preferred surface. His tennis is better on a hard or a grass court with the big serve, the return."

Tennis writer Jake Davies shared Chris Evert's words on X (formerly Twitter) before ridiculing them.

"Trying my best not to roll my eyes, to be honest," Davies wrote.

Several fans took notice of Davies' post and criticized Evert over her assessment of Alexander Zverev.

"….take the mic away," one wrote.

"Sounds like Chris has been smoking the opium pipe again," added another.

"#S**tChrissieSays," another fan chimed in.

"LOL he's never even been to a single Wimbledon QF!," reminded one fan while joking about Zverev's subpar record at the grasscourt Major.

"It’s genuinely a shame she isn’t a good commentator given she is by far the greatest ex-player involved in commentary/punditry who isn’t problematic in any way," another commented.

"Translation: I haven’t really watched him play over the last 10 years 😂," weighed in yet another fan.

Statistically, Zverev has tasted the majority of his success on hard courts, but clay has been his second-best surface. Out of his 24 career singles titles so far, the German has won nine on clay and the other 15 on hard courts. The fact that none of those titles have come on grass paints a clear picture about the surfaces on which his tennis thrives.

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Alexander Zverev to face promising 23-year-old in French Open 3R

Alexander Zverev in action against Jesper De Jong in the men's singles second round at the 2025 French Open (Source: Getty)

Flavio Cobolli, the talented World No. 26 from Italy, is Alexander Zverev's third-round opponent at this year's Roland Garros. Cobolli and Zverev have never faced each other before.

Even though the ATP No. 3 is the favorite on paper to secure progress to the clay Major's fourth round, Cobolli should be confident going into the match. A day before main draw matches began in Paris, the Italian lifted the Hamburg Open title after defeating Andrey Rublev in the final.

Zverev, too, had participated in the tournament but was bundled out of it in the second round by Alexandre Muller. Overall, the German has been vulnerable in recent months, even though the one title he has so far won this season did come on clay at the Munich Open, where he defeated Ben Shelton at the last hurdle.