Tennis Star Alexander Zverev Has Meltdown After Carlos Alcaraz's Medical Timeout At Australian Open

This Australian Open has been one of the more drama-filled tennis tournaments in recent memory.

From unhinged leftist reporters asking leading questions to American players to potential conspiracy theories involving when the roof gets closed for certain players, these past two weeks in Melbourne have more closely resembled a soap opera than a sporting event.

Hell, even Novak Djokovic, one of the greatest Australian Open players in the history of tennis, has advanced all the way to the finals and hadn't won a set in almost a week prior to Friday morning.

Speaking of conspiracy theories, though, it looks like the tin foil hat section of the tennis community isn't the only one that thinks the powers that be are protecting the stars of the game.

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Germany's Alexander Zverev had a semifinal match Thursday night against world no. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, and it looked like he had the sensational Spaniard on the ropes and ready to medically retire until Alcaraz hit him with the old rope-a-dope.

Before that, though, Alcaraz was forced to take a medical timeout for cramping, and after Jannik Sinner's recent saga involving cramps and nearly retiring before the Australian Open officials swooped in to rescue him, Zverev was ready to blow his top over what he perceived as preferential treatment towards tennis' golden boys.

He even invoked the "you cannot be serious" right in front of John McEnroe! Absolute cinema.

By "the both of them" he clearly means Sinner and Alcaraz, which now means that Zverev has joined the online tennis community in accusing the ATP of shenanigans.

Zverev had more to say after the match (in which he lost), and although he was more composed and measured, you could tell he was still more than a little miffed.

In fairness to Alcaraz, though, he was winning two sets to none when "Crampgate" occurred, so it's not like he stood to gain anything from it with regard to a competitive advantage.

As for the official side of things, I think it's fair to start having some conversations about preferential treatment if one of the best players in the world is also starting to notice (Zverev is currently ranked third in all of tennis).

This could clearly be sour grapes from Zverev, and the comments below the post seem to back up his claims.

This is getting good!

The Australian Open final will be played early Sunday morning for those of us living Stateside, and although the tennis has been incredibly entertaining, I'm almost more inclined to watch just to see what drama unfolds outside the white lines.

If it ends up being Alcaraz vs. Sinner, how will tennis decide who to protect then?

Only one way to find out, I suppose, and I won't even need an alarm clock because my son will probably have me up at that ungodly hour anyway.

Yay, parenthood!