Alexander Zverev has made his long-awaited breakthrough as a Grand Slam champion, but his moment of triumph has been accompanied by renewed scrutiny over domestic violence accusations leveled against him by two former girlfriends. However, the German has made it clear that he won’t discuss the controversy, as evidenced by his strong response to questions on the subject.
After falling short in three previous Grand Slam finals, Zverev fulfilled his dream of becoming a Major champion by claiming a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 win over Flavio Cobolli in the 2026 French Open final.
Alexander Zverev Shuts Down Questions Regarding Domestic Abuse Allegations
Zverev initially faced accusations of domestic violence from his former girlfriend Olya Sharypova in 2020. In response, the ATP commissioned an independent investigation, which concluded after 15 months and found “insufficient evidence” to substantiate the allegations.
Separately, in 2023, Zverev was accused of “physically abusing and damaging the health” of his ex-girlfriend Brenda Patea, who is also the mother of his daughter, Mayla. After a Berlin court imposed fines totaling €450,000 ($475,000) over the allegations, the world No. 3 disputed the penalty order, prompting a public trial.
The trial began in May 2024 but was discontinued within days following a settlement agreement. Under the terms, Zverev had to pay €150,000 ($162,000) to the state and €50,000 ($54,000) to charitable organizations. Since the proceedings ended in a settlement, the court did not issue a verdict on the case.
The allegations were brought back into the spotlight during the 2025 Australian Open final, when a spectator repeatedly shouted “Australia believes Olya and Brenda!” as Zverev stepped up to deliver his runner-up speech after losing to Jannik Sinner in the final.
In an interview with L’Équipe following his French Open triumph, the German was asked whether he feared a similar scene unfolding in Paris, but he simply said, “No.”
The conversation then turned to the public and media discourse surrounding his victory due to the domestic abuse allegations. However, Zverev interrupted the reporter before they could finish the question, firmly stating that the accusations were “false.”
“First of all, this is not that kind of interview. Secondly, do you know that the accusations have been proven to be false?” he said.
The journalist attempted to clarify that the question pertained to the reaction to his victory rather than the allegations themselves, citing L’Équipe’s decision not to devote its front page to Zverev. However, the world No. 3 once again responded by claiming his innocence was “proven.”
“This is the second time you’ve asked me about this,” he added. “It wasn’t my decision. I did everything I could, and my innocence has been proven.”
Although the reporter moved on to ask Zverev about his plans for the upcoming weeks, the German abruptly ended the exchange, saying, “I think we should stop, it’s better this way.”
Despite Zverev’s assertion about his innocence, it is worth noting that Tiergarten District Court spokesperson Inga Wahlen told The Athletic in 2024 that “the decision is not a verdict and it is not a decision about guilt or innocence.”
On the tennis front, Alexander Zverev is scheduled to begin his grass-court season at the Terra Wortmann Open, joining Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton, and Daniil Medvedev, among others. The ATP 500 event in Halle will begin on June 15.
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