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The imminent criminal trial revived scrutiny over Zverev’s election earlier this month to the Player Advisory Council of the ATP,the body that runs men’s professional tennis. Zverev was elected by his peers to serve a two-year term alongside four other newcomers and five continuing members.
The council meets several times a year to make recommendations to both ATP management and the board. Their first meeting for the year was held in Melbourne,where Zverev is sixth seed at the Australian Open,and on Tuesday advanced to the second round with by beating his countryman Dominik Koepfer,4-6,6-3,7-6 (7-3),6-3.
Several of the world’s top male players refused to comment on the off-court matter on Tuesday,including Bulgarian 13th seed Grigor Dimitrov,who sits on the players’ council alongside Zverev. He said he was not aware of the latest developments. “If it’s needed,we can sit down and talk about it,” Dimitrov said.
Greek world No.7 Stefanos Tsitsipas said he was “completely unfamiliar” with the situation,and British 19th seed Cameron Norrie said it was “tough to comment” as he didn’t know much about what happened.
“I haven’t had too much time to think about it,” said Norwegian world No.11 Casper Ruud. “I’m not exactly sure how to react to it.”
Swiatek was more forthcoming. After pausing to consider her response,she said it was ultimately a matter for the ATP,but added:“For sure it’s not good when a player that’s facing charges like that is being promoted.”
Iga Swiatek of Poland at the Australian Open on Tuesday.Credit:Getty
She said there was “no good answer” to what should be done,and she did not know all the facts. “I’m not the right person to judge.”
In October,a Berlin criminal court ordered Zverev to pay a penalty totalling $740,000. Court filings allege the 26-year-old pushed his former partner Brenda Patea,with whom he has a child,into a wall and choked her during an argument in May 2020.
In Germany,if there is enough compelling evidence to believe a trial is unnecessary,a prosecutor can seek a penalty order. Zverev contested the fine,prompting the trial,which is set for May 31. He will not have to appear in court,and can instead be represented by a lawyer.
Zverev was also the subject of a 15-month ATP investigation over allegations he repeatedly assaulted Sharypova. The men’s touring body closed the investigation in January 2023 and brought no penalties against the German,citing insufficient evidence.
The ATP Tour conducted its investigation into Zverev after former Russian player Sharypova publicly accused the German of repeatedly abusing her in 2019 during confrontations in New York,Shanghai,Monaco and Geneva.
The alleged assaults detailed by Sharypova included Zverev covering her face with a pillow until she could no longer breathe,punching her in the face,and grabbing her by the throat before pushing her against a wall.
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Initially,the ATP did not directly address the allegations – which,if substantiated,would breach the tour’s rule book. It eventually launched the investigation in October 2021 aftercomplaints from players anda 2021 Slate article which questioned the body’s failure to act.
Zverev later sued US publication Slate over the article,and a German court granted an injunction to order the publication to take down the article written by freelance tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg,but Slate refused.
The ATP brought in third-party consultancy group,the Lake Forest Group,to conduct the investigation,who worked alongside the organisation’s outside legal counsel. It was launched a year after Sharypova had first publicly accused her ex-boyfriend of abuse. Zverev was permitted to play throughout the investigation.
In January 2023,the tour announced it would take no disciplinary action against Zverev as it found insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations. Both Zverev and Sharypova participated in the investigation,which ATP boss Massimo Calvelli described as “exhaustive”.
“From the beginning,I have maintained my innocence and denied the baseless allegations made against me,” Zverev said in a statement following the announcement. “I welcomed and fully co-operated with the ATP’s investigation and am grateful for the organisation’s time and attention in this matter.”
Streaming and production giant Netflix has alsocome under fire for failing to address any of the allegations in its docuseriesBreak Point.
The second season of the show,which brings audiences behind-the-scenes of the 2023 tennis season,has an entire episode dedicated to Zverev. It does not mention the ATP investigation,the criminal charge,or any of the claims of violence levelled against him.
It instead focused on Zverev’s comeback after seriously injuring his ankle during the 2023 French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal.
Netflix Australia did not respond to questions about the omission. Questions were also put to Tennis Australia about Zverev competing in the Open,but the sporting body did not respond.