2023 US Open Fan Ejected After Using Hitler Phrase During Alexander Zverev Match

A fan was ejected from Arthur Ashe Stadium during Alexander Zverev's five-set victory over Jannik Sinner after using a phrase associated with Adolf Hitler.

In the fifth game of the fourth set, Zverev stopped play and approached the chair umpire to point toward the crowd and say a fan "just said the most famous Hitler phrase there is."

The fan was eventually identified and escorted out of the stadium.

Zverev addressed the matter in his post-match press conference.

"He started singing the anthem of Hitler that was back in the day," he told reporters. "It was 'Deutschland über alles,' and it was a bit too much."

The 26-year-old German added that he felt compelled to immediately call attention to the remark.

"But I think me being German and not really proud of that history, it's not really a great thing to do, and I think him sitting in one of the front rows, I think a lot of people heard it," he said. "So if I just don't react, I think it's bad from my side."

The U.S. Open is known for creating an atmosphere unique from any of the other major tournaments on the tennis calendar. But this isn't the first instance this year in which a player has raised concerns about fan behavior during a match.

Although Zverev lost the fourth set, he went on to take down Sinner in the fifth and earn a place in the quarterfinals, where he'll play top-seeded and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.