Alexander Zverev denies allegations again, says “This is not who I am”

Alexander Zverev denies allegations again, says “This is not who I am”
Alexander Zverev

In a long drawn-out saga, Olga Sharypova, an ex-girlfriend of German tennis star Alexander Zverev, accused him of domestic abuse against her a few weeks ago.

Zverev initially denied the allegations on his Instagram Stories, stating that he had no clue why Sharypova came forward with these scathing attacks. He had hoped to make peace with the Russian and declined to comment further on the issue.

However, since then, Olga has given a vivid account of her ordeal to Racquet, putting further pressure on the German.

FS Video

“It makes me sad…”

Zverev finished runner-up at last week’s Rolex Paris Masters

The Nitto ATP Finals are set to begin in London on the 15th of November. The eight-man elite event features the top players of the season. Alexander Zverev, who had a splendid season on-court, also made the cut for the season-ender.

During a customary press conference before the start of proceedings, Zverev was asked about the allegations. He stuck to his original narrative and denied them again, reiterating that he was sorry they arose in the first place. He was cognizant of the fact that many people were pushing for him to speak up, questioning his silence.

“Many people have asked me why I kept my mouth shut, why I didn’t say anything. While I very much regret that those accusations are made, I have to stick to my initial thing of them being just untrue and continue to deny them,” Zverev said.

The German world no. 7 reached the US Open finals this year, losing to Dominic Thiem despite a healthy two-set lead. He also won the twin Cologne events, and most recently, reached the finals of the Rolex Paris Masters. With two titles and four finals, Zverev had a particularly fruitful 2020 season.

Public perception of their relationship is false, claims Alexander Zverev

Zverev won the 2018 edition of the Nitto ATP Finals, his most prestigious title to date.

Zverev continued, remarking that his relationship with Olga wasn’t how the media is portraying it. He explained, “We had our ups and downs but the way our relationship is described in the public is not how it was. That’s not who I am, that’s not how I was raised by my parents. It’s not who I am as a person.

He closed his statement, regretting the impact that false allegations like these have on the world.

“It makes me sad the impact that such false accusations can have – on the sport, on the outside world, on myself as well. I truly apologize that the focus has shifted away from the sport. We all love playing tennis. That’s what we’re here to do,” he concluded.

The Nitto ATP Finals will be played in London for the 12th and final time, with the venue shifting to Turin next year. Zverev looked forward to playing at the O2 Arena one last time, saying, “It’s a little bit upsetting, of course. London is a place where we love the atmosphere, we love the stadium and everything. It’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be different, but I’m still looking forward to playing in this beautiful stadium for the last time at the Nitto ATP Finals. It’s still going to be special.”

Alexander Zverev is set to play his first match against fellow Paris Masters finalist Daniil Medvedev on the 16th. With the coronavirus pandemic forcing restrictions, the final London edition of the Nitto ATP Finals will be played behind closed doors. Stay tuned as we cover more from the event.

Also read: Nitto ATP Finals 2020: Daniil Medvedev vs Alexander Zverev Preview, Head-to-Head and Prediction