Latest news with #StuttgartOpen
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Fan taken to hospital after getting hit by falling advertising board
Alexander Zverev's hunt for an elusive grasscourt title has begun with a clinical 6-2 6-1 victory over Marcos Giron in a Halle Open first round match during which he also helped an injured spectator. Wednesday's match was interrupted by an advertising hoarding falling on spectators during the opening set. A section of the hoarding came crashing down from the upper tier onto spectators below, forcing the chair umpire to stop play before Zverev immediately procured an ice pack for an elderly woman who'd been injured. The players waited patiently while tournament organisers scrambled to provide medical assistance. Organisers said the 62-year-old did not suffer any major injuries and was able to leave the stadium after the initial shock, but she was taken to hospital as a precaution. Zverev immediately offered assistance. Credit: Sky Sports They added that drumming against the boards may have caused the screws to come loose. 'There has never been anything like this in our 32-year tournament history. We deeply regret the incident,' tournament director Ralf Weber said in a statement. On court, Zverev finished the match with 23 winners in the 79-minute contest where Giron struggled to match the power of the German's first serve and had no answer when his opponent's returns found all corners of the court. World No.3 Zverev, still nursing the disappointment of Sunday's Stuttgart Open final defeat by Taylor Fritz, showed no mercy with the home fans firmly behind the towering second seed who has finished runner-up twice in Halle. 'I hope the lady is OK. Something like that should of course not happen,' Zverev said. 'Of course, I am happy with the way I played. But the most important thing is that everyone here goes home healthy and happy. 'It was a great match for me, I thought it was quite high level. Maybe he wanted to play a bit better than he did, but all in all I felt like I didn't let him play that well, which was important for me.' Earlier, eighth seed Karen Khachanov dispatched Belgium's Zizou Bergs 7-5 6-3 despite a nasty fall on the grass. Australia's preparations for Wimbledon have taken another dispiriting hit at the Queen's Club Championships as Alexei Popyrin's agonising exit at the hands of home favourite Jack Draper ended their men's challenge at the prestigious London event. With Alex de Minaur surprisingly knocked out and Jordan Thompson an injury casualty, it was all down to Popyrin to save the day and he could at least have been encouraged by the quality and the fight he displayed in his 3-6 6-2 7-6 (7-5) loss to Britain's great new SW19 hope Draper on Wednesday. But when the match came down to a decisive tiebreak, it was world No.6 Draper who held his nerve best, coming up with the crucial big plays to disarm the Sydneysider and march into the quarter-finals. Popyrin, who had saved two match points at 5-4 down in the final set, recovered to take a 4-2 lead in the breaker, with the best win of his 2025 campaign in his sights. Alexei Popyrin gave his English opponent a run for his money at Queen's Club before a narrow loss. Credit: AAP But did he then blink? For a wildly loose forehand gave Draper the vital mini-break to drag himself back into the contest, and at 5-5 he produced an inspirational searing backhand winner to earn a third match point, before sealing his hard-fought victory with a 14th ace. That big-match acumen demonstrated just why Wimbledon is probably about to get as excited about Draper as it always used to be by Andy Murray, and it felt somehow fitting that the 23-year-old left-hander should be prevailing on the Queen's centre court now named after the great Scot. 'It was a tough match. Credit to Alexei, he played some amazing tennis,' said Draper, saluting the last Aussie in the singles draw. 'It was a bit up and down but you guys helped get me through that,' he added, thanking the crowd that included his grandad and other members of his family. Popyrin, who's at a career-high No.21 in the rankings after reaching the fourth round at the French Open, is clearly going to be a threat to the grass-court elite with his 218km/h serve on the quickening surfaces amid a bit of a London heatwave. And he shouldn't be discouraged by such a narrow loss, during which he went shot-for-shot with Draper, firing 31 winners to the Englishman's 33. But Draper clearly feels he's got more under the bonnet. 'You know, before I felt like my energy wasn't that strong, and I felt like I looked like a bit of a Ferrari but I was a bit of a Toyota, like I broke down quite easy,' he mused, doubtless not seeking an advertising contract with the Japanese manufacturers. 'Now I'm starting to feel generally stronger and confident in myself.' Elsewhere at Queen's, rising Czech star Jakub Mensik crashed out 3-6 6-3 7-5 to veteran Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, receiving a code violation warning for unsportsmanlike conduct at one stage when he smashed his racquet on the ground. As it slipped out of his hands and bounced into a largely empty area of the stands, he could count himself lucky not to get disqualified. With Wimbledon just 12 days away, Popyrin's defeat put the tin hat on a disappointing week of preparation for the Australian contingent on the green stuff. Tristan Schoolkate, the one big success story on the European grass courts so far after his win in the Ilkley Trophy last weekend, got knocked out in his latest Challenger quest at the Nottingham Open, losing to Chilean Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera 6-2 7-6 (10-8). - AAP
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Tennis fan taken to hospital after getting hit by falling advertising board during Alexander Zverev's clash at Halle Open
Alexander Zverev's hunt for an elusive grasscourt title has begun with a clinical 6-2 6-1 victory over Marcos Giron in a Halle Open first round match during which he also helped an injured spectator. Wednesday's match was interrupted by an advertising hoarding falling on spectators during the opening set. A section of the hoarding came crashing down from the upper tier onto spectators below, forcing the chair umpire to stop play before Zverev immediately procured an ice pack for an elderly woman who'd been injured. The players waited patiently while tournament organisers scrambled to provide medical assistance. Organisers said the 62-year-old did not suffer any major injuries and was able to leave the stadium after the initial shock, but she was taken to hospital as a precaution. They added that drumming against the boards may have caused the screws to come loose. 'There has never been anything like this in our 32-year tournament history. We deeply regret the incident,' tournament director Ralf Weber said in a statement. On court, Zverev finished the match with 23 winners in the 79-minute contest where Giron struggled to match the power of the German's first serve and had no answer when his opponent's returns found all corners of the court. World No.3 Zverev, still nursing the disappointment of Sunday's Stuttgart Open final defeat by Taylor Fritz, showed no mercy with the home fans firmly behind the towering second seed who has finished runner-up twice in Halle. 'I hope the lady is OK. Something like that should of course not happen,' Zverev said. 'Of course, I am happy with the way I played. But the most important thing is that everyone here goes home healthy and happy. 'It was a great match for me, I thought it was quite high level. Maybe he wanted to play a bit better than he did, but all in all I felt like I didn't let him play that well, which was important for me.' Earlier, eighth seed Karen Khachanov dispatched Belgium's Zizou Bergs 7-5 6-3 despite a nasty fall on the grass. Popyrin crashes out at Queen's Australia's preparations for Wimbledon have taken another dispiriting hit at the Queen's Club Championships as Alexei Popyrin's agonising exit at the hands of home favourite Jack Draper ended their men's challenge at the prestigious London event. With Alex de Minaur surprisingly knocked out and Jordan Thompson an injury casualty, it was all down to Popyrin to save the day and he could at least have been encouraged by the quality and the fight he displayed in his 3-6 6-2 7-6 (7-5) loss to Britain's great new SW19 hope Draper on Wednesday. But when the match came down to a decisive tiebreak, it was world No.6 Draper who held his nerve best, coming up with the crucial big plays to disarm the Sydneysider and march into the quarter-finals. Popyrin, who had saved two match points at 5-4 down in the final set, recovered to take a 4-2 lead in the breaker, with the best win of his 2025 campaign in his sights. But did he then blink? For a wildly loose forehand gave Draper the vital mini-break to drag himself back into the contest, and at 5-5 he produced an inspirational searing backhand winner to earn a third match point, before sealing his hard-fought victory with a 14th ace. That big-match acumen demonstrated just why Wimbledon is probably about to get as excited about Draper as it always used to be by Andy Murray, and it felt somehow fitting that the 23-year-old left-hander should be prevailing on the Queen's centre court now named after the great Scot. 'It was a tough match. Credit to Alexei, he played some amazing tennis,' said Draper, saluting the last Aussie in the singles draw. 'It was a bit up and down but you guys helped get me through that,' he added, thanking the crowd that included his grandad and other members of his family. Popyrin, who's at a career-high No.21 in the rankings after reaching the fourth round at the French Open, is clearly going to be a threat to the grass-court elite with his 218km/h serve on the quickening surfaces amid a bit of a London heatwave. And he shouldn't be discouraged by such a narrow loss, during which he went shot-for-shot with Draper, firing 31 winners to the Englishman's 33. But Draper clearly feels he's got more under the bonnet. 'You know, before I felt like my energy wasn't that strong, and I felt like I looked like a bit of a Ferrari but I was a bit of a Toyota, like I broke down quite easy,' he mused, doubtless not seeking an advertising contract with the Japanese manufacturers. 'Now I'm starting to feel generally stronger and confident in myself.' Elsewhere at Queen's, rising Czech star Jakub Mensik crashed out 3-6 6-3 7-5 to veteran Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, receiving a code violation warning for unsportsmanlike conduct at one stage when he smashed his racquet on the ground. As it slipped out of his hands and bounced into a largely empty area of the stands, he could count himself lucky not to get disqualified. With Wimbledon just 12 days away, Popyrin's defeat put the tin hat on a disappointing week of preparation for the Australian contingent on the green stuff. Tristan Schoolkate, the one big success story on the European grass courts so far after his win in the Ilkley Trophy last weekend, got knocked out in his latest Challenger quest at the Nottingham Open, losing to Chilean Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera 6-2 7-6 (10-8).
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Spectator treated for injuries as PANEL falls from above and loud bang heard in arena during Alexander Zverev clash
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TENNIS fan was taken to hospital after a stadium panel collapsed and landed on her during Alexander Zverev's match at Halle earlier today. Zverev, 28, was taking on American Marcos Giron in front of a home German crowd. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 A panel from an advertising board fell Credit: Sky Sports 5 The worrying incident caused concern in the bottom tier Credit: Sky Sports 5 Alexander Zverev offered an ice pack to the crowd Credit: Sky Sports With Giron about to serve at 2-5 15-30 in the first set, a loud bang and subsequent yelling could be heard from the crowd. It scarily emerged that an advertising panel had fallen from the front of the upper tier onto the lower seats. Zverev and umpire Renaud Lichtenstein approached the stands offering an ice pack. The tournament went on to confirm that a 62-year-old spectator had been taken to hospital following the frightening incident. READ MORE IN TENNIS EMMA'S FEAR Raducanu stalker tried to buy Wimbledon seats before terrifying star at match But thankfully, the woman did not suffer any major injuries. Tournament director Ralf Weber said: "Something like this has never happened in our 32-year tournament history. We deeply regret the incident." Weber personally visited the spectator in hospital, and offered her a complimentary season ticket for next year's event. Event managers Dr Udo Kleine and Uwe Greipel-Dominik later revealed how they felt the incident had taken place. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 5 Zverev, 28, went on to comfortably beat Marcos Giron Credit: AP A joint statement said: "We suspect that the drumming against the cushions caused screws to come loose. "This should not happen, and we apologise. We will also check all other cushions and their fastenings immediately after the Zverev match. The safety of our spectators is our top priority." 'Please stay away from me' - Alexander Zverev swipes at Taylor Fritz in X-rated rant after Stuttgart Open final Following a safety check, the contest was able to continue, with world No3 Zverev winning 6-2 6-1. The 6ft 6in German will take on Italy's Lorenzo Sonego in tomorrow's round of 16. Last week Zverev reached the final of the ATP 250 event in Stuttgart, only to lose to rival Taylor Fritz. In his runner-up speech on court, spiky Zverev joked: "Last but not least, Taylor, I'm f***ing tired of you. 'I don't wanna see you again over the next two to three years. "Please stay away from me. Don't come to Germany anymore. "No, well done you deserve to win this title. "You are one of the best players in the world on this surface and you were much better than me today, so congrats to the whole team and I'm sure you are going to do incredible on the next two tournaments on grass, so well done."
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Spectator treated for injuries as PANEL falls from above and loud bang heard in arena during Alexander Zverev clash
A TENNIS fan was taken to hospital after a stadium panel collapsed and landed on her during Alexander Zverev's match at Halle earlier today. 5 A panel from an advertising board fell Credit: Sky Sports 5 The worrying incident caused concern in the bottom tier Credit: Sky Sports 5 Alexander Zverev offered an ice pack to the crowd Credit: Sky Sports With Giron about to serve at 2-5 15-30 in the first set, a loud bang and subsequent yelling could be heard from the crowd. It scarily emerged that an advertising panel had fallen from the front of the upper tier onto the lower seats. Zverev and umpire Renaud Lichtenstein approached the stands offering an ice pack. The tournament went on to confirm that a 62-year-old spectator had been taken to hospital following the frightening incident. READ MORE IN TENNIS But thankfully, the woman did not suffer any major injuries. Tournament director Ralf Weber said: "Something like this has never happened in our 32-year tournament history. We deeply regret the incident." Weber personally visited the spectator in hospital, and offered her a complimentary season ticket for next year's event. Event managers Dr Udo Kleine and Uwe Greipel-Dominik later revealed how they felt the incident had taken place. Most read in Tennis BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 5 Zverev, 28, went on to comfortably beat Marcos Giron Credit: AP A joint statement said: "We suspect that the drumming against the cushions caused screws to come loose. "This should not happen, and we apologise. We will also check all other cushions and their fastenings immediately after the Zverev match. The safety of our spectators is our top priority." 'Please stay away from me' - Alexander Zverev swipes at Taylor Fritz in X-rated rant after Stuttgart Open final Following a safety check, the contest was able to continue, with world No3 Zverev winning 6-2 6-1. The 6ft 6in German will take on Italy's Lorenzo Sonego in tomorrow's round of 16. Last week Zverev reached the final of the ATP 250 event in Stuttgart, only to lose to rival In his runner-up speech on court, 'I don't wanna see you again over the next two to three years. "Please stay away from me. Don't come to Germany anymore. "No, well done you deserve to win this title. "You are one of the best players in the world on this surface and you were much better than me today, so congrats to the whole team and I'm sure you are going to do incredible on the next two tournaments on grass, so well done." 5 Taylor Fritz beat Alexander Zverev in the Stuttgart final last Sunday Credit: Alamy
North Wales Chronicle
4 days ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Spectator at ATP event in Halle hit by falling advertising banner
The 62-year-old local woman was sitting in the lower tier and left the OWL Arena holding an ice pack against her neck handed to her by Zverev. The tournament website said the woman did not suffer any major injuries but was taken to a nearby hospital to be checked 'for safety reasons'. Tournament director Ralf Weber said: 'We deeply regret the incident. There has never been anything like this in our 32-year tournament history.' Weber said he had promised the woman a season ticket for next year as a small token of appreciation. Event managers Dr Udo Kleine and Uwe Greipel-Dominik said neighbouring boards were checked after the incident before the match was given the go ahead to continue. A joint statement from Kleine and Greipel-Dominik on the tournament website said: 'We suspect that the drumming against the boards caused screws to come loose. 'This must not happen and we apologise. We will also check all the other boards and their fixings immediately after the Zverev match.' 'There has never been anything like this in our 32-year tournament history. We deeply regret the incident,' said Tournament Director Ralf Weber. — TERRA WORTMANN OPEN (@ATPHalle) June 18, 2025 The incident at the ATP 500 grass event round-of-32 tie happened with home favourite Zverev 5-2 ahead and serving for the first set. Second seed Zverev went on to triumph in 6-2 6-1 in returning to winning ways just three days after his Stuttgart Open final defeat to Taylor Fritz. Eighth seed Karen Khachanov also impressed with a 7-5 6-3 victory over Libema Open finalist Zizou Bergs to set up a second-round meeting with Felix Auger-Aliassime.
