Zverev’s title win comes with an uneasy aftertaste

The sporting relief is real, but the mood remains heavy. By finally triumphing at Roland-Garros, claiming his first Grand Slam trophy, Alexander Zverev landed the major title that had been missing from his career. And yet, in Paris, the celebration could never fully take hold.

In the background: two abuse cases involving former partners, which have clouded his image since 2020.

On the day of the final, American journalist Ben Rothenberg — a former New York Times contributor known for his investigative work on the case — publicly reignited the controversy without even directly mentioning the match, posting a thought for victims of domestic violence on social media and announcing that he would not be watching. It was not the first time: as early as the 2024 Australian Open, he welcomed the fact that fellow reporters were pressing Zverev about the case in his press conferences, arguing that players “should be made uncomfortable” about it. Later that year, ahead of Roland-Garros, he described the German’s place in the draw as casting a “shadow” over the tournament and called for his suspension until proceedings had concluded. It was a stance criticised by part of the public, who accused him of presuming the player’s guilt when no verdict has ever established it.

This hostility is nothing new for Zverev, who has repeatedly faced public pushback. The most striking moment dates back to the 2025 Australian Open final, lost to Jannik Sinner: during the ceremony, a spectator shouted “Australia believes Olya and Brenda” — the first names of his two former partners — with the player standing silent as applause drowned out the heckle.

An interview that breaks down in L’Équipe

The unease everyone is talking about stems from an aborted interview in L’Équipe. The day after his triumph, Alexander Zverev opened up in the French paper’s pages. In the conversation, the player ranged across every subject: the culmination of a career, managing his diabetes, and the complexity of his relationship with the public. Until one sensitive topic tipped the exchange over.

Asked about the Melbourne incident, then about the support of the Paris crowd, Zverev was relaxed: he said he had sensed the Chatrier wanted him to win, particularly in the fifth set. But when Quentin Moynet asked him about the discussions, in the press room, over how to handle his potential title in light of the domestic violence allegations against him, the tone shifted. The German cut in: this was “not that kind of interview,” adding that “it has been proven the accusations were false.” The journalist clarified that his question was not about the allegations themselves, but about media coverage — L’Équipe having declined to give the champion its full front page. His agent stepped in. And Zverev ended the exchange with: “I think we should stop, it’s better.” End of interview.

The subject has become off-limits for the German who, back in 2024, after reaching an out-of-court settlement with the mother of his child, had warned that he never wanted to hear about it again.

The Olga Sharypova case

The first chapter opened in late 2020, when his former partner, player Olga Sharypova, publicly accused him, in interviews, of physical and psychological abuse during their relationship. Sharypova never pressed criminal charges, saying she mainly wanted to unburden herself. The ATP opened an independent investigation in October 2021, centred on alleged incidents at the 2019 Shanghai Masters but also covering Monaco, New York and Geneva.

Entrusted to the American firm Lake Forest Group, the 15-month investigation involved interviewing more than two dozen people and reviewing messages, audio files and photographs. In January 2023, the ATP closed it citing insufficient evidence; Zverev faced no sanction. The body noted, however, that its decision could be re-evaluated should new evidence emerge. The German, who has always firmly denied the allegations, never sued her for defamation — which in effect prevented any public courtroom airing of the relationship.

A case closed without a verdict in Berlin

The second case concerns Brenda Patea, a model and the mother of his daughter Mayla (born in 2021). She accused Zverev of injuring her during an argument in Berlin in May 2020. In October 2023, a Berlin court first issued a penalty order with a 450,000-euro fine. The player, categorically contesting the facts, appealed in order to secure a public trial and plead not guilty.

The hearings opened on 31 May 2024, in the middle of Roland-Garros, placing the player’s private life under the media spotlight during the tournament. A week later, the proceedings were halted by an out-of-court settlement requiring a payment of 200,000 euros. Under German law, this outcome closes the case without any verdict being delivered: Zverev is neither found guilty nor convicted, and legally retains his presumption of innocence. One important point: he did not admit guilt.

It is on this basis that Zverev now claims it “has been proven” he was innocent. The phrasing, however, is more a communications line than an incontestable legal reality. No court has found him guilty, and the ATP concluded there was insufficient evidence — but no court has ruled on the substance or “proven” his innocence either: both proceedings ended without judgment, one for lack of evidence, the other through a settlement. The presumption of innocence, which remains fully intact in law, is not the same as innocence demonstrated in court.