Alexander Zverev wins amid controversy in Madrid

Alexander Zverev overcome inspired opposition from Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Mutua Madrid Open on Sunday, defeating the Spaniard, 2-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (0).

The top seed, who is yet to reach a Masters 1000 quarterfinal in 2025, argued numerous calls at the Caja Magica, which has adapted electronic line calling, but rallied from a set and a break down to reach the fourth round on Manolo Santana Stadium.

Zverev has won twice in Madrid, most recently in 2021, but has struggled at big tournaments since finishing runner-up to Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open back in February. Competing for the No. 1 ranking in the absence of Sinner, who has been serving a three-month suspension for an anti-doping violation, appeared to take its toll on the German, who won just six matches between Melbourne and the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters, where he lost in three sets to Matteo Berrettini.

The former Roland Garros finalist appears to have found his rhythm in the last two weeks, winning an ATP 500 title in Munich, but nonetheless struggled mightily from the beginning against Davidovich Fokina, a former world No. 21 coming off a semifinal finish in Monte Carlo two weeks ago.

Davidovich Fokina rolled through the opening set and began the second set with a break, but a poor serve game put the match back on serve. Zverev let out his frustrations late in the second set when he repeatedly begged umpire Mohamed Lahyani to physically check a line call, as has been tradition on clay court tournaments. But Lahyani was unable to overrule an electronic line call, and issued Zverev a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct when the German retrieved his cell phone to take a picture of the mark.

Despite the meltdown, Zverev cruised through the ensuing tiebreaker are looked poised for a decisive victory when he served for the match late in the third set. Davidovich Fokina capitalized on nerves from Zverev by reeling off the next two games, but lost his own nerve in the Sudden Death, losing all seven points to put Zverev over the finish line.

Zverev will next face one of two Argentines, either No. 20 seed Francisco Cerúndoloor Francisco Comesaña.