An earthquake failed to stop Alexander Zverev from beating fellow German Dominik Koepfer to reach the Mexican Open final in Acapulco.
Koepfer was serving in the second set when the 5.7-magnitude quake struck.
Zverev, who prevailed 6-4 7-6 (7-5), said he “didn’t know what happened” and continued to play as the stadium shook.
“The lights started shaking and the crowd felt it more than we did,” said world number seven Zverev, who faces Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.
“We just heard the crowd. We were running around the court, so we had to play a point during the earthquake.
“We didn’t feel much, but still obviously I know it happens here in Acapulco. I hope everyone is fine at the area that is closest to the earthquake.”
‘Enough to freak you out’
The tremors hit shortly after British duo Ken and Neal Skupski had beaten compatriot Joe Salisbury and his partner Rajeev Ram to reach the doubles final.
Neal Skupski was having a rub-down at the time and said he thought it was “some massage technique” because the bed was shaking.
“I just thought it was normal,” he said. “Then an alarm went off on his [massage therapist’s] phone and that’s when I thought, ‘this is a bit strange’.
“Then he said, ‘We’re going to go outside because of an earthquake.’ I couldn’t put my clothes on quick enough to get out of the building.”
Ken Skupski said the tremor “lasted maybe five seconds” but was “enough to freak you out”.
“I’ve never experienced one” he said. “I’m hoping that this is the only one that they’re going to have here because obviously there’s a fear of bigger and stronger ones in the coming hours or days.”
The Skupskis face top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the final.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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