ZVEREV BEMUSED AS FEATHER STOPS PLAY

MELBOURNE. — Alexander Zverev was left bemused after the umpire stopped play in the middle of a rally when a bird’s feather floated down on the court during his quarter-final against Tommy Paul at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Spanish chair umpire Nacho Forcadell called a let during a deuce point when the feather from one of the seagulls that regularly flock around Melbourne Park came close to Zverev’s racket on Rod Laver Arena.

The German second seed was infuriated by the call when it happened, pointing out the “millions” of feathers on the court, but was able to see the funny side after wrapping up the match 7-6(1) 7-6(0) 2-6 6-1 to reach the semi-finals for the third time.

“Yeah, I’ve never had that before that we stop a point because of a feather. So that was new to me,” he laughed. Not sure it was a hindrance to anybody. It’s not like a hard object.

“Like even if the tennis ball hits the feather, it doesn’t really change anything. It doesn’t change the trajectory of the ball or the bounce of the ball or anything like that.

“But, yeah, I don’t know. Maybe the umpire did the right call and maybe not. I have no idea.”

Play was suspended at Melbourne Park in 2021 when a flock of seagulls, emboldened by the absence of spectators during the COVID-19 pandemic, started dive-bombing players as they contested the Phillip Island Trophy.

In 2002, a small bird chasing a moth across Rod Laver Arena was killed by a Michael Llodra forehand during a men’s doubles semi-final.  Meanwhile, Zverev played his best tennis when it mattered most to down Tommy Paul 7-6(1) 7-6(0) 2-6 6-1 on Tuesday and reach his third Australian Open semi-final in five years, keeping alive his dream of finally landing a Grand Slam title.

The 27-year-old German was unable to find his peak level for much of a match played in the stifling afternoon heat on Rod Laver Arena but dominated his American opponent in tiebreaks to lock up the first two sets.

Paul bagged the third set but second seed Zverev upped his intensity to whip through the fourth and set up a meeting with the winner of the later blockbuster clash between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. — Reuters.