Zizou Bergs explains 'mistake' after leaving Garin groggy in Davis Cup: “I’ve apologized several times on the court to the captain”
ATP
Zizou Bergs shared his version of the events after the controversial jump he made over Cristian Garin in the Davis Cup match, which left the Chilean groggy and ultimately decided the tie in favor of Belgium. The images quickly went viral, marking an unprecedented moment in Davis Cup history.
Bergs had managed a crucial break in the third set against Garin, putting him 6-5 up and with a chance to close the match—and the tie—on his serve. His jubilant reaction after the break saw the world No. 61 running to his bench, but he failed to see Garin and the Chilean ended up on the floor due to an accidental collision, as the European player later explained.
Garin and Massu speak out over controversial Davis Cup tied
The Chilean team called for Bergs' disqualification, but umpire Carlos Ramos only issued a warning, deeming the incident accidental. However, Garin argued that he was not fit to continue playing, and after receiving multiple time violations, he was penalized with a game penalty, sealing Bergs' victory and Belgium's progression to the second round of qualifiers.
“The situation is terrible,” said Chilean captain Nicolás Massú. “We asked the neutral doctor from this country to look at Cristian’s eyes: ‘Let’s step outside and see if he can see or not.’ He suffered a blow to the eye and felt dizzy. Do you think Cristian could keep playing tennis? But they just focused on continuing the show. “
“Why are they trying to pressure him? Cristian hasn’t been evaluated at all. And now we’re the victims because we’re out. It’s very unfair.”
Next to him, Garin agreed: “It wasn’t my shoulder, knee, or anything. It was the eye, and that’s very important.”
Zizou Bergs makes a HUGE shot to break serve... but accidently collides with Cristian Garin in celebration 😮 pic.twitter.com/6H2RqRmx4m
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) February 2, 2025
Bergs clarifies intentions after incident with Garin
Bergs spoke about the situation as well, explaining that it wasn’t how he intended to win the match and acknowledging his error in running toward his opponent, but he denied any intent to harm him. "It’s very strange. This is the first time in my career that something like this has happened. I made a mistake running past my opponent, but it wasn’t my intention at all to hurt anyone."
“It was a very tight match, we were approaching the end, and when you manage to get that break in such an amazing atmosphere, there’s a rush of ‘emotion.’ I walked toward my bench, and I misjudged the opponent who was also trying to make the pass. I wanted to jump, but it was too late, and I hit him.”
“That’s fifty-fifty, yes or no. But the officials made the decision not to disqualify me and only gave me a warning. The Chilean team didn’t understand that very well. I would have preferred if they had seen it differently, and that created a very strange situation,” he added. “I won’t judge the unfairness. I don’t know how Garin feels. I just trusted the umpire’s judgment. They have the experience to know what to do in such situations.”
“I’ve apologized several times on the court to the captain. At that moment, I have to let him absorb it for a while. After the match, Garin immediately left, and I didn’t get another chance to apologize,” he concluded.
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On the other hand, the Belgian Tennis Federation released an official statement expressing their support for their No. 1 singles player, Zizou Bergs. "As the Belgian Tennis Federation, our primary concern is the well-being of Garin, and we hope he is doing well. Additionally, a day after these emotion-filled events, we call for calmness and objectivity. Based on this, we express our full support for Zizou and the Belgian team," the official statement concluded.
Statement from the Belgium Tennis Federation strongly supporting Zizou Bergs and Referee Carlos Ramos. pic.twitter.com/qkqNhGB35z
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) February 3, 2025
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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