This year’s Australian Open was the third Slam in a row where the women’s side was a million times more exciting than the men’s side. American Madison Keys, 29, won her first-ever major title, taking out the #1 and #2 seeds in the semifinal and final, and both of those matches were three-set nail-biters. On the men’s side… *sad clown noise*. Novak Djokovic retired in his semifinal, which meant that German Alexander Zverev got into his third major final. Jannik Sinner – who tested positive for doping twice last year – barely broke a sweat as he marched his way through the draw to defend his first major. So, the final was set: Sinner vs. Zverev. Either Sinner would win his third major or Zverev would win his first. Since I didn’t watch it, I’m just going from commentary: Sinner cleaned Zverev’s clock, winning in straight sets. Zverev didn’t even have any break points.
The thing is, Alex Zverev is largely loathed by real tennis fans and people who are actually paying attention to the tennis world. In 2020, Zverev’s Russian ex-girlfriend Olya gave a heartbreaking interview in which she described months of physical abuse by Zverev. Nothing happened to Zverev after Olya’s interview, and the ATP didn’t even introduce any kind of DV policy for their players. Then, in 2023, Zverev’s former partner and mother of his child, Brenda Patea, also accused him of assaulting her. She sued him in Germany, and Zverev’s team was able to largely sweep it under the rug and settle out of court with Patea. Once again, nothing happened to Zverev’s career, and ATP played dumb when it came to instituting any new policies.
After Zverev lost in the AO final on Sunday, he got up to the microphone to begin his runner’s up speech. That’s when a woman in the audience shouted out: “Australia believes Olya and Brenda! Australia believes Olya and Brenda!” That’s more than the French crowd did at Roland Garros last year.
Zverev lost his third Grand Slam final against Jannik Sinner, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2, and stepped up to the microphone to speak after receiving his runner’s-up trophy.
Before he spoke, a woman in the crowd appeared to shout: “Australia believes Olya and Brenda! Australia believes Olya and Brenda!”
Zverev looked up to the crowd as noise rippled across the stadium, smiling to himself. A few boos and bits of applause followed before Zverev began his speech. The German did not make reference to the heckling when he spoke.
“I believe there are no more accusations. There haven’t been for, what, nine months now. Good for her, I think she was the only one in the stadium who believed anything in that moment,” Zverev said in his news conference when asked about the incident. “I think I’ve done everything I can, and I’m not about to open that subject again.”
“I believe there are no more accusations. There haven’t been for, what, nine months now.” Wow, nine whole months without any current or former girlfriend accusing him of beating the sh-t out of her. An absolute piece of sh-t. People should heckle this motherf–ker every time he steps on court, imo.
Shoutout to this woman pic.twitter.com/mQZeDrnnQn https://t.co/GeoKJQ0Raf
— Owen (@kostekcanu) January 26, 2025
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Jannik Sinner ITA und Alexander Zverev posen am Netz vor Spielbeginn, Endspiel, Final, Australian Open 2025, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. *** Jannik Sinner ITA and Alexander Zverev pose at the net before the start of the match, Final, Final, Australian Open 2025, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Copyright: xJuergenxHasenkopfx,Image: 957761478, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Juergen Hasenkopf/Avalon/Avalon
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- Alexander Zverev, Endspiel, Final, Australian Open 2025, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. *** Alexander Zverev, Final, Final, Australian Open 2025, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Copyright: xJuergenxHasenkopfx,Image: 957778772, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Juergen Hasenkopf/Avalon/Avalon
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- Sieger Jannik Sinner und Finalist Alexander Zverev, Siegerehrung, Presentation, Australian Open 2025, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. *** Winner Jannik Sinner and finalist Alexander Zverev, Award ceremony, Presentation, Australian Open 2025, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Copyright: xJuergenxHasenkopfx,Image: 957798730, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Juergen Hasenkopf/Avalon/Avalon
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- Sieger Jannik Sinner und Finalist Alexander Zverev, Siegerehrung, Presentation, Australian Open 2025, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. *** Winner Jannik Sinner and finalist Alexander Zverev, Award ceremony, Presentation, Australian Open 2025, Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Copyright: xJuergenxHasenkopfx,Image: 957817250, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Juergen Hasenkopf/Avalon/Avalon
Men’s tennis is messy.
This match feels right on trend for 2025.
🤬 like this is why I no longer have an interest in ANY sports…
And I used to be SUCH a fan.
A doper vs a woman beater in the men’s tennis final. That’s a good look. Not.
That was my main takeaway too. Throw in Kyrgios and a frustrating and depressing picture just gets even worse.
Hey guys! As long as you’re successful you can do what you want!
I love tennis and go to majors. But I didn’t watch a point of the men’s final. Neither of these two should have been in the draw. Sinner’s doping explanation makes zero sense and Zverev was found guilty of DV. German courts are convoluted but the guy was found guilty! Hopefully at least the Sinner issue gets handled at the hearing in April.
Domestic abuse by several players— ATP shrugs and walks away
Doping — as long as you come up with the most outlandish excuse you can dream up, you’re fine.
(If skin were really as permeable as Team Sinner implied, we’d all be poisoning ourselves with creams and lotions, and I don’t get why scientists didn’t speak up then and there)
Science denial and extremist political views, all wrapped up in one player — why would anyone care?
ATP should be ashamed of their public image.
I didn’t watch any of the men’s tennis this time around, but that was how my husband summed it up for me – “the cheater beat the abuser.” Sadly, I knew exactly who he was talking about (I knew Kygrios was already out).
The only one on the men’s side I’ve enjoyed watching recently is Gael Monfils (and I really hope that he and Elina Svitolina have a very happy life together). To play the way he is at 38? Good for him!
So it’s almost like someone tried the old “when did you stop beating your wife?” trap on him and he was arrogant and awful enough to give a sincere answer?
I used to be a huge tennis fan, but some of the current male players are deeply unappealing. A doper whose infractions have been brushed aside and a man accused of domestic violence by two different women are not exactly good advertisements for the game. And the ATP’s silence tells us a lot about their values and priorities – none of it good.
The women’s game is much more appealing and interesting to watch.
Absolutely thrilled for him being rightfully heckled on the big stage. And proud of her too, contrary to the reporting above I believe a lot of tennis fans are more than happy to excuse his behaviour and support him, so that took real guts. He is a superb example of why victims don’t feel they can come forward in anything less than a watertight case, it’s truly sad.
On a more positive note my parents and I are keen players and watchers and we were thrilled to watch Keys get her win! So happy for her in one HELL of a run, she took out the World number 1,2 and 6 plus Svitolina and a former finalist to boot, crazy tennis.
The ATP isn’t capable of handling matters that are criminal and not tour related. They can’t even bother to be consistent when it comes to their anti-doping policies and the whole WADA business.
I don’t blame them for avoiding wading into something they are not capable of handling. It’s a mess they don’t want to step in; they’d have to come up with a whole bunch of policies and be prepared for lawsuits, etc – if they “make the wrong call”. Can you imagine if they suspended a player due to an abuse accusation; and the player is found not guilty or the charges were dropped or the player were actually innocent. The first thing that player would do is sue the ATP over potential loss wages, endorsements, damage to their ranking, etc etc.
The audience, on the other hand can absolutely decide who to support and who not to support. And props to the woman who called out AZ.
Yeah there’s probably not a lot the ATP can realistically do, but it’s disappointing to see so many players and fans still supporting him. He’s got a nasty temper and has demonstrated it on court many times, one time he attacked an umpire’s chair with his racquet while the umpire was sitting in it.
Sinner, while not my favourite player, I personally believe is a good person and I don’t think he was deliberately doping. There’s a lot of misinformation flying around and people who want to understand should read the details of the case. He might end up serving a ban due to his responsibility for members of his team, but I think that would be a shame for the sport.
Thrilled for Madison Keys!
I hope the heckling never stops for Zverev and that sponsors stay away. He sounds like nothing bothers him, it’s water off a duck’s back. Yikes and thanks for covering this.