Alexander Zverev says his post-Australian Open final heckler on Sunday night was “the only one in the stadium” who believed the domestic violence allegations against him.
In dramatic scenes right before Zverev’s runner-up speech, a woman shouted the same five words three times before being escorted from Rod Laver Arena: “Australia believes Olga and Brenda.”
The German world No.2, who has now lost three major finals, paused until the woman was removed and then completed his speech without mention of the incident.
Alexander Zverev was heckled before he could begin his speech.Credit: AP
Asked afterwards about his reaction to the comments, Zverev said: “I believe there are no more accusations.
“There haven’t been for, what, nine months now. Good for her. I think she was the only one in the stadium who believed anything in that moment.
“If that’s the case, good for her. I think I’ve done everything I can, and I’m not about to open that subject again.”
Zverev reached an out-of-court settlement in June last year that ended a trial where his former partner, Brenda Patea, made domestic violence allegations against him.
Zverev agreed to pay fines of €150,000 ($246,000) to the state, and €50,000 ($82,000) to charitable organisations.
He was facing a charge of causing bodily harm, with prosecutors alleging he pushed her against a wall and choked her. Zverev always denied any wrongdoing.
Zverev said at the time: “I told you so from the start; I told everybody. I’m happy that it’s over. Yeah, nothing else more to say.”
Another of Zverev’s ex-girlfriends, Olga Sharypova, also made claims of emotional and physical abuse against him in a 2020 article written by tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg.
The ATP took no disciplinary action against Zverev after a 15-month independent investigation into Sharypova’s allegations found “insufficient evidence to substantiate published allegations of abuse”.
