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Alexander Zverev was heckled by a spectator over domestic abuse allegations during the Australian Open men’s singles trophy ceremony.<\/b><\/p>\n
The German second seed lost in straight sets<\/a> to world number one Jannik Sinner in Melbourne.<\/p>\n As he stepped up to receive his runners-up trophy, a spectator loudly shouted: “Australia believes Olya and Brenda.”<\/p>\n The 27-year-old was accused of violence by his former girlfriend Olya Sharypova in 2020<\/a> and of domestic abuse in 2023<\/a> by Brenda Patea, with whom he has a child.<\/p>\n Zverev has repeatedly denied both sets of allegations and a Berlin court case brought by Patea was discontinued last year.<\/a><\/p>\n Asked afterwards about the heckles, Zverev said: “Good for her. I think she was the only one in the stadium who believed anything in that moment.<\/p>\n “I believe there are no more accusations. There haven’t been for, what, nine months now.<\/p>\n “I think I’ve done everything I can, and I’m not about to open that subject again.”<\/p>\n In October 2020, former girlfriend Sharypova accused Zverev of violence and emotional abuse during their relationship. Zverev denied the allegations and said they were “unfounded”.<\/p>\n Sharypova did not press charges, and a 15-month investigation by the men’s ATP Tour found there was “insufficient evidence”<\/a> to substantiate claims made by Sharypova and so Zverev did not face disciplinary action.<\/p>\n In November 2023, Zverev was given a penalty order and fined by a German court after being accused of physically abusing his ex-girlfriend Patea.<\/p>\n Zverev denied the claims and lodged an objection against the order, which resulted in a public trial.<\/p>\n The trial was discontinued in June 2024 after a settlement was agreed between the defendant and the complainant.<\/p>\n At the time, the court told BBC Sport: “The decision is not a verdict and it is not a decision about guilt or innocence.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n