This is getting awkward.
German tennis star Alexander Zverev, who is due to stand trial on domestic violence charges in May, has been betting that an elimination from the Australian Open will save the sport from becoming a Something no one wants to talk about.
The world number six then managed to escape a tense decider and five-set battles every other day to avoid defeat. Zverev, 26, raised his arms. He answered friendly questions from a tennis celebrity – questions that never hinted at the charges and the upcoming trial in Berlin.
That’s what happened today (Monday), as Zverev won the fifth set decider for the second time in a week, defeating the British No. 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 1 Cameron Norrie (3). It was a tight and tense duel, with Zverev’s usual ferocious serving in the closing stages earning him the victory.
Zverev, who this month became a member of the ATP Player Council, which represents players on the men’s tour, will face world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in Wednesday’s quarter-finals. Minutes after beating Nouri, Zverev and interviewer Nicholas Monroe, a retired doubles player, sang happy birthday to Zverev’s father at Margaret Court Arena.
Although this is the second time an ex-girlfriend has accused Zverev of physical abuse, the accusations have rarely been discussed during his televised matches. The first led to a 15-month investigation that ended early last year, finding “insufficient evidence to substantiate the published allegations of abuse”. In both incidents, Zverev denied any wrongdoing.
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Why Alexander Zverev was allowed to play despite domestic abuse allegations
The latest accusation comes from Brenda Patia, the mother of Zverev’s daughter Mera. In media interviews and claims filed with German legal authorities, she claimed Zverev pushed her against a wall and choked her during an argument in 2020. Patia said she told friends about the incident at the time but did not report it to the police until October because of shame and concern for her daughter, who was born in March 2021.
In October, the Berlin Criminal Court issued a penalty order fining Zverev nearly $500,000 (£393,000) over Patia’s allegations. In Germany, prosecutors can seek penalty orders in cases they deem simple and do not require a trial because there is compelling evidence. The defendants have the right to challenge the order, and Zverev also has that right.
Speaking at the Paris Masters in November, Zverev described the penalty order as “complete bulls***”, adding, “Anyone with a low IQ level knows what that means.” The player did not elaborate on the reasons for his objection. “To be honest, I’m not going to comment on it because there’s a process that needs to be done Come on,” he said.
The trials are scheduled for late May, coinciding with the French Open. ZVerev is not required to attend the trial and said last week he did not know whether he would. His lawyer called the legal proceedings “shameful” and said Zverev would take action “using all possible means”. The player will be considered innocent until a final verdict is made.
Another ex-girlfriend, former Russian tennis player Olya Sharypova, said, Zverev abused her multiple times in New York in 2019, Shanghai, Monaco and Geneva. Unlike Patea, Sharipova has never been involved with the criminal justice system and she made the accusations in a lengthy article published in the online magazine Slate and on social media.
Following a 15-month independent investigation, the ATP decided in January 2023 to take no further action, including Extensive interviews were conducted with Zverev, Sharipova and 24 others, including family, friends and other players, and text messages, audio files and photos were analyzed. The investigation, conducted by a third party, Lake Forest Group, concluded there was insufficient evidence to substantiate Sharipova’s accusations.
Zverev has always denied any wrongdoing and said the only people to suggest any wrongdoing regarding his participation in this tournament, the tour and the Players Council were members of the media.
“Journalists are saying that some people are actually more interested in this story being worth writing, more interested in the number of clicks than the real truth,” Zverev said last week.
The statement comes days after former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens, who recently resigned from the WTA Players Council, said WTA players may not be represented by those facing trial over domestic abuse charges.
“The ATP is kind of bragging,” Stephens said. “They did what they did on that side.”
Sloan Stephens is a member of the organization WTA Players Council (Robert Prange/Getty Images)
“This is a difficult situation,” Stephens added. “A very prominent man in our sport…I think now that he’s going to stand trial and face whatever he’s faced with (the issues may be resolved).”
Zverev continued to compete throughout the investigation and legal dispute because the ATP had no policy against doing so. Other major tennis governing bodies potentially involved – the four Grand Slams and the International Tennis Federation – have followed the Tour’s lead and decided to pursue legal proceedings through the courts before making any decision.
Asked on Monday why he wanted to join the players council and what issues he wanted to focus on, Zverev listed several issues related to the structure of the tour and the competition demands faced by athletes.
“Playing 11 months a year is just too much,” he said. Adding events to the tour “may have gotten a little out of hand and a little too much. That’s all these discussions. But they were very enjoyable discussions. No one was fighting in there, no one was screaming or yelling. We were all trying to achieve the same goals and have a better journey.”
He made no mention of safeguards or the charges against him over the past three years.
At this Australian Open, no one wants to talk about it.
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(Top photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
