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Zverev pushes back on rumors over alleged practice-court dispute

A viral social media post has sparked debate around a practice-court scheduling dispute at the Shanghai Masters, with top-ranked German tennis player Alexander Zverev at the center of the controversy. According to a spectator account shared on the Chinese platform RedNote, Zverev allegedly reserved Court 5 for a practice session starting at 10:30 a.m.

but arrived nearly two hours late, around 11:50 a.m. This reportedly forced Ben Shelton and rising star Cruz Hewitt—scheduled to use the same court at noon—to switch to Court 10, which offered poorer viewing conditions for fans.

The incident drew criticism online, though Zverev dismissed the claims in a lighthearted social media response, writing, *“How do you even make stuff like this up?”* before adding laughing emojis. While some spectators described a tense interaction, others downplayed the drama, and no official ruling from tournament organizers or the ATP has confirmed whether any rules were violated.

The case highlights how quickly unverified accounts can spread on social media before all facts are established, with Zverev’s victory over Quentin Halys (6-4, 6-7(8), 6-3) in his next match overshadowing the practice-court dispute.

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