Overview
- Karen Khachanov said Alexander Zverev’s repeated pre‑serve ball‑bouncing 'annoys' returners after their semifinal, and chair umpire Damien Dumusois issued Zverev one time violation during the match.
- Zverev advanced to the US Open final against Ben Shelton after winning the semifinal and denied any deliberate gamesmanship, saying he does not count bounces and does not know why the routine increased.
- Media tracking reported Zverev had bounced the ball about 12,040 times at the tournament, a stat that amplified attention to the routine and to how long he takes between points.
- Current rules give a 25‑second shot clock between points for the first serve but no automatic clock for the second serve, leaving enforcement of 'unreasonable delay' to chair umpires and their discretion.
- Former players and commentators, including Andy Roddick, have urged a rule change such as a second‑serve shot clock and tighter limits on toss restarts, a debate that could influence officiating or policy after the event.