Alexander Zverev's assault allegations explained

Lina PortmanMay 28, 2024

0 3 minutes read

Top line

German tennis star Alexander Zverev beat Spanish legend Rafael Nadal in the first round at Roland Garros on Monday, before progressing to the second round at Rolland Garros, but in just a few days the German star's appeal over allegations of The attack will be judged.

Alexander Zverev beat the great Rafael Nadal in the first round of the French Open.

Getty Images

Highlights

Zverev, 27, stands six feet six inches tall and is the fourth-ranked men's singles tennis player and considered one of the tournament favorites.

Zverev defeated Nadal, 37, in a highly anticipated first-round match Monday morning, winning the match in three sets against 14-time French Open champion Nadal, who has struggled to return from injuries and s is ranked only 276th.

Off the pitch, the 27-year-old's career has been marked by scandal: Zverev was charged in October 2023 prosecution for “physical abuse and harm to health” of a woman during an argument in May 2020 in Berlin, according to the complaint filed in Germany.

That woman was later identified as his former girlfriend Brenda Patea, a model and mother of Zverev's daughter, and Zverev denied the allegations.

Later in October, a German criminal court fined Zverev $488,000 (450,000 euros) for these charges (prosecutors in German courts can seek sanction orders when there is compelling evidence that does not require trial, reported The Athletic and The Guardian).

Zverev appealed the order, taking the challenge to the Berlin court, calling it “complete bullshit”, with his lawyers calling it “scandalous”.

Patea has since gone public with the allegations, telling German magazine Suddeutsche Zeitung in November that Zverev pushed her against a wall and began choking her.

Zverev's trial in Berlin is expected to begin on May 31, in the middle of the French Open, although he will not be required to appear in person in court, at least initially, the BBC reported, although he could still “in theory”. “be invited to appear later at the trial,” a court spokesperson said.

The trial is expected to last eight non-consecutive days and could continue until mid-July, ESPN reported.

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Tangent

The assault case follows previous allegations of abuse against Zverev from his former girlfriend Olya Sharypova, who accused the German star of hitting her in the face and covering her face with a pillow, leaving her “scared for (her)

life,” Slate reported in 2021. Zverev denied the allegations and Sharypova did not go to the police with them, although they triggered an investigation by the Association of Tennis Professionals, the governing body of the tennis circuit, which found insufficient evidence to support these claims.

Chief Critics

Following these allegations, Zverev faced public criticism after being elected to the ATP advisory board in January. American tennis star Sloane Stephens told reporters at the time that a female star facing similar accusations would not have been elected to the WTA players' council, while Iga Swiatek, the No. 1, told reporters: “It's not good when a player who faces accusations like that is somehow promoted.

Surprising fact

Zverev starred in an episode of Netflix's since-canceled documentary series “Break Point” last year about his recovery from a torn ankle ligament and surgery that sidelined the German star During months. Controversially, the episode never mentioned the allegations against Zverev. The show was canceled in March.

Contra

Nadal, considered one of the best tennis players of all time, has 92 singles titles to his name and holds the record for the winningest player in men's singles at Roland Garros, although this year he entered into the tournament unseeded after a series of injuries that kept him sidelined for months. He last won the French Open in 2022, beating Zverev in the semifinals, when Zverev tripped and injured his ankle so badly that he left the court in a wheelchair and was kicked out of the sport During months.

To monitor

Zverev's next match is scheduled for Wednesday against the winner of the first round between Germany's David Goffin and France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

Large number

More than $2.6 million. This is the amount that the winner of the men's singles at Roland-Garros will win as the grand prize (around 2.4 million euros).

Key context

Zverev burst onto the international tennis scene at the age of 20 in 2017, defeating three-time French Open winner Novak Djokovic at the 2017 Italian Open and Swiss star Roger Federer at the Rogers Cup the same year. In 2018, he was named one of Forbes Europe's 30 Under 30 in Entertainment, alongside artist Dua Lipa, actress Millie Bobby Brown and actor Daniel Kaluuya. Zverev has since won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but is yet to win a Grand Slam singles title.

Top line

Highlights

Tangent

Chief Critics

Surprising fact

Contra

To monitor

Large number

Key context

Further reading

Lina Portman

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