Technological errors have a knack for stealing the spotlight, often for all the wrong reasons. From sparking controversy to leaving players visibly frustrated, these glitches have long been a thorn in the side of tennis. And now, even the grand stage of the ATP Finals isn’t immune. The latest fiasco? A mishap that has everyone talking—and it involves none other than Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev.

The American tennis sensation took on his German counterpart for the semi-final clash in Turin, with both players attempting to inch closer to the glorious crown. In a dominant star, Fritz easily won the first set 6-3, thereby proving his mettle yet again. However, what followed during the second set was not just bizarre, but also unexpected. 

With Zverev leading the second set 1-0, Fritz started the serve and managed to trouble the German star. However, as Zverev ran forward towards the net to play a shot, the umpire ruled it a ‘Not Up.’ For the unversed, such a call is made when a player hits the ball after it has already bounced twice. But Zverev was quick to challenge the decision, and the umpire granted a video replay of the point. 

However, it took more than usual to replay the same, leaving both players stranded on the courts. While Zverev was patiently sitting in a corner, Fritz remained on the court, awaiting the decision. Ultimately, after taking a good number of minutes, the replay depicted that the challenge by the German was justified and the point was replayed again, with Zverev eventually emerging victorious in the second set, 6-3 to force a decider third set. However, this is not the first time that such a technological mishap has unfolded in the courts. 

A similar technical error took place at the Halle Open this year when Jannik Sinner took on Zhizhen Zhang in the semi-finals. During the match, Zhizhen hit a serve. But the audio system on the electronic line calling went out, and Zhang thought he had an ace because there was no call from the umpire. But the umpire soon clarified that the ball serve landed outside the court and the system did not make a call due to an error. “Due to a technical issue, the system wasn’t able to make the call. It’s confirmed that the serve was out.” 

Coming back to the latest technical mishap, Fritz seems to remain calm despite being forced to give up the point. He was seen smiling after the decision was made, as he quickly geared up to replay the point again. This attitude, meanwhile, can be attributed to the desire he has for the ATP finals, which he probably does not want to get marred by a negative gesture.

Taylor Fritz revealed his goals for the ATP Finals 

The American tennis sensation has demonstrated some impeccable skills lately. Besides winning in Delray Beach and Eastbourne, the American player also clinched the runner-up title in the US Open, thereby giving out a strong message. And as he entered the ATP Finals, he was absolutely clear about his goals and aspirations for the tournament. Speaking in an interaction after ousting Daniil Medvedev in the first match, Taylor Fritz said,

“My first time [at the Nitto ATP Finals], I was the alternate, no one really expected much of me here.” Continuing further, he highlighted how this lower expectation from the community helped him improve. “I was playing with house money, no pressure. This time, I’m fifth, and I really want to make it out of the group stage.” He further shared that he is “putting more expectation on myself to do better,” expressing confidence is his latest form.

As the tournament unfolds, it would be interesting to see if more such technical errors take center stage going forward, and receive frustrating reactions from the players