Alexander Zverev blasts abusive Munich fans on offensive chants
Alexander Zverev is under the firing line once again regarding his domestic violence cases. This time, the venue was the Munich Open in front of his adoring fans. The German was playing his match against Tallon Griekspoor when someone from the stands erupted, saying, “Let’s go, you wifebeater.”
Zverev took full notice of the chants. Although he smiled at the fan, he quickly went to the chair umpire and said, “Fergus, please kick him out.” It is unclear whether the chair umpire instructed the tournament to remove the fan from the stands. The situation didn’t trouble Zverev, as he won the match and eventually won the tournament.
What Did Alexander Zverev Say?
Zverev is playing in the Madrid Open as the No. 2 seed. In the pre-match press conference, he was talking about this unfortunate matter. “In Munich, the crowd was incredible, to be honest. In fact, during the match against Griekspoor, I was completely out of focus, and it was the people who brought me back.” Zverev said, as reported by Punto de Break.
“That day I won thanks to the crowd, so I can’t complain at all. There will always be one or two idiots everywhere; this happens in all sports, in tennis, football, races, everywhere. That’s sports, but the people in Munich were amazing to me.” Alexander Zverev added.
The background of this story revolves around 2020, when Zverev’s former girlfriend Olya Sharypova accused him of domestic violence. The two-time ATP Finals champion denied any of those allegations, and consequently, ATP decided to take the matter to court. After a 15-month investigation, it was confirmed that Sharypova had lost the case due to ‘insufficient evidence’. The allegations were echoed by Brenda Patea in 2023, with whom Zverev has a child.
In November 2023, Zverev was fined for physically assaulting Patea. However, the three-time Grand Slam runners-up decided to lodge an objection. Eventually, a settlement was finalized in June 2024 where compensation was agreed between both parties. Just like Sharypova’s case, the Berlin courts also dissolved Patea’s case.
Despite the cases coming in Zverev’s favor, many of the tennis fans still criticize the German. They have also criticized many ATP events, such as the Laver Cup, for promoting the 27-year-old across the tennis circuits. The German is among the few players to have played for Team Europe in every edition since its initiation in 2017.
Not The First Time This Has Happened
This is not the first time a spectator from the stands blasted Zverev and reminded him of his controversial cases. A similar incident happened only a few months ago at the Australian Open trophy ceremony. Just before the German was about to deliver his runner-up speech, someone from the stands shouted, “Australia believes Olya and Brenda.”
Zverev once again denied those comments. In his Australian Open post-tournament press conference, the German said that the incidents are in the past and he has been cleared of those controversies. However, considering how quickly the chants are becoming common, it is likely that the World No.2 may have more controversial chants coming his way.
Zverev lost the Australian Open final to Jannik Sinner in straight sets. It was his third Grand Slam final, and he still has not won his first Grand Slam title. His previous two Grand Slam final losses came against Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open and Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 Roland Garros.
Final Thoughts
Zverev is an extremely talented tennis player who has shown consistency on the ATP tour. However, his off-court controversies continue to raise questions about his image. However, he once again diffused the situation after the controversy at the Munich Open. Who knows that abusive fan may have triggered something in the German, which led him to the Munich Open title.
