Allegations, Olympics, German, trial: Everything you always wanted to know about Alexander Zverev (but never had time to find out) – updated after Australian Open semi-final 2024

Who is Alexander Zverev?

Alexander Zverev is a German tennis player who has been ranked as high as No 2 in the world, won an Olympic gold medal, and made the final of the 2020 US Open.

Why is Alexander Zverev in the news This week?

Zverev lost to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of the Australian Open 2024 having taken a two-set lead, 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3.

During the first week of the Australian Open 2024, it was announced that Zverev will stand trial on May 31st. The trial is over a domestic violence incident that occurred in 2020, with Zverev appealing a penalty order that was issued by the German courts in October 2023.

The announcement of a trial date coincided with Zverev being elected to the ATP Player Advisory Council by his fellow top 50 players, as well as season two of the Netflix show “Break Point” portraying the German in an overwhelmingly positive light.

What Did Alexander Zverev do to his girlfriend?

In 2020, Zverev’s ex-girlfriend Brenda Patea revealed she was 20 weeks pregnant with the German’s child but planned to raise the child alone.

At the same time, allegations of domestic abuse from another ex-girlfriend, Olga Sharypova, surfaced. The German addressed both in a social media post in October 2020 and several times during the 2020 Paris Masters, and has denied any wrong-doing.

In October 2021, the ATP announced an investigation into the allegations, and Zverev reiterated his denials. In January 2023, the ATP announced it had completed the investigation and “found insufficient evidence to substantiate published accusations of abuse”.

In July 2023, German media RTL reported that an application for a criminal charge based on the grounds of physical assault were made on behalf of Brenda Patea – the mother of his child – against Alexander Zverev.

In October 2023, Zverev was then issued with a penalty order by a court in Germany for bodily harm against his ex-girlfriend, with fines totalling €450,000. He has appealed the fine and denied the charge, with the appeal trial to begin on May 31. Zverev is not required to be present at the trial, which could run for eight days between May 31 and July 19.

Zverev became a father on March 11, 2021 when his baby daughter with Patea was born.

Why was Alexander Zverev in the news at the start of 2022?

In February 2022, Alexander Zverev shouted abuse at the umpire and struck his chair with his racquet four times after losing a doubles match in Acapulco. He was removed from the tournament but the ATP suspended any further sanctions on him, with a fine and suspension to follow only if he offended again within a year.

What happened to Zverev at Roland-Garros in 2022?

Alexander Zverev seriously injured his right ankle at Roland-Garros during his semi-final clash against Rafael Nadal on June 7. Asked about his comeback on the Tour six weeks later by Eurosport Germany, Zverev said that he didn’t know when it could happen but did not rule out a comeback in time for the US Open. 

“I make important progress every day and I look forward to the next tasks that bring me closer and closer to the tennis court,” he said on July 21, 2022. “An exact date for a comeback has not yet been determined, but I work every day to ensure that it will happen as soon as possible.”

In the end, Zverev returned at the United Cup in Australia at the start of 2023. He played his first Masters 1000 since Madrid 2022 when he reached the fourth round in Indian Wells.

Zverev’s progress throughout the year was impressive, with the German winning two titles and making the semi-finals of Roland-Garros. He won the German Open in Hamburg, before following that up by winning the Chengdu Open in China to announce his return to top form.

Has Alexander Zverev ever won an Olympic medal?

Alexander Zverev won the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 to become the first German man to win an Olympic gold medal since Boris Becker and Michael Stich won doubles gold in 1992. Zverev beat world No 1 Novak Djokovic to reach the final and then saw off Russia’s Karen Khachanov to clinch the gold.

How did he do in the Grand Slams in 2021?

Zverev reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros for the first time in his career. The German survived a scare in the first round, when he trailed German qualifier Oscar Otte by two sets to love. He recovered to win in five and then successively eliminated Roman Safiullin, Laslo Djere, Kei Nishikori, and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. He lost in five sets in the semi-finals against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas.

He began the year by reaching the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, where he lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic and at the US Open, he lost to Djokovic again, this time in five sets.

When was Zverev born?

Alexander Zverev was born on April 20, 1997 in Hamburg, Germany. He lives in Monte-Carlo. He is 6ft 6 in tall. 

What is his nationality?

Alexander Zverev is German, though both his parents are Russian.

“I won’t play for any other country. I was born and raised in Germany, I went to school there and I have German friends. Yes, I have Russian origins and there’s also something Russian about me. The fact that you don’t give up, that you don’t stop fighting, that’s part of being Russian,” Zverev said, in an interview for the German newspaper Bild in April 2019.

Who are Alexander Zverev’s parents?

Zverev’s parents are Alexander Mikhailovich Zverev Senior, born on January 22, 1960 in Sochi, and Irina Zvereva, born on April 11, 1967. His father is a former professional tennis player from the Soviet Union who was ranked world No 175 in 1985. He moved to Germany in 1991 with his wife.

Alexander Zverev’s mother, Irina Zvereva, is a former professional tennis player from the Soviet Union. She was ranked world No 380 in 1993. She has German citizenship.

Does he have any siblings?

Alexander Zverev has an older brother, Mischa, born on August 22, 1987, in Moscow. He has German citizenship. Mischa is a professional tennis player who started his career in 2005 at age 17. He reached a career-high ranking of No 25 in 2017. Alexander and Mischa have only met once on the ATP tour, in Washington in 2018. The younger brother won that day (6-3, 7-5).

Who is Alexander Zverev’s coach?

Zverev is coached by his father, Alexander Mikhailovich Zverev Senior. The German hired David Ferrer to work alongside his father in July, 2020. The pair split in January 2021.

“I told Sascha that we were not going to go forward next season,” the former No 3 said, as quoted by Tennis.com. “It was not for anything special. Absolutely nothing has happened between us, everything is good—I appreciate the opportunity he gave me to travel with him during this period. During these months we had a good collaboration, everything was perfect.”

Zverev had earlier also also worked with former world No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero in July 2017, but their collaboration lasted only six months. Zverev then integrated Ivan Lendl into his team in August 2018. The former world No 1 spent one year as part of the German‘s team.

When did he turn professional?

Zverev started his professional career in 2013 at the age of 16, having been ranked the No 1 junior in the world. The German won his first ATP Tour match at home in Hamburg in 2014. He beat Robin Haase, ranked 51st in the world, before reaching the semi-finals.

How many titles has Alexander Zverev won?

Zverev has won 21 titles on the ATP Tour, including five Masters 1000 titles, in Rome and Canada in 2017, in Madrid in 2018 and 2021 and in Cincinnati also in 2021. He won his first title in St. Petersburg in 2016 and he won six titles in 2021, including the Olympics and the ATP Finals. In his comeback 2023 season following a severe ankle injury sustained in 2022, Zverev has won two titles. He won the German Open in Hamburg on clay, before winning the ATP 250-level Chengdu Open in China on hard courts.

What is Zverev’s highest ranking?

Zverev’s highest ranking has been No 2, which he first achieved in June 2022. You can find his current ranking and ranking history on his ATP tour profile page.

How much prize money has Alexander Zverev won on the ATP Tour?

Zverev has won more than $39.2 million in prize money as of January 18, 2024, according to the official ATP website.

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