Topline
German tennis star Alexander Zverev defeated Spanish legend Rafael Nadal in the first round of the French Open on Monday, moving on to the second round at Rolland Garros, though in just days, the German star’s appeal of assault allegations will head to trial.
Alexander Zverev defeated all-time great Rafael Nadal in the first round of the French Open.
Key Facts
The six-foot-six Zverev, 27, is the fourth-ranked men’s singles tennis player and considered one of the favorites in the tournament.
Zverev defeated 37-year-old Nadal in a highly anticipated first-round match Monday morning, taking the match in three sets over 14-time French Open champion Nadal, who has struggled to return from injuries and ranked only No. 276.
Off the court, the 27-year-old’s career has become marked by scandal: Zverev was accused in an October 2023 lawsuit of “physically abusing and damaging the health” of a woman during a May 2020 argument in Berlin, according to the suit filed in Germany.
That woman was later identified as his former girlfriend Brenda Patea, a model and the mother of Zverev’s daughter, and Zverev has denied the allegations.
Later in October, a German criminal court fined Zverev $488,000 (450,000 Euro) over the charges (public prosecutors in German courts can seek penalty orders when there is compelling evidence that does not necessitate a trial, The Athletic and The Guardian reported).
Zverev appealed the order, bringing the challenge to trial in Berlin court, calling it “completely bulls**t” with his lawyers slamming it as “scandalous.”
Patea has since gone public about the allegations, telling German magazine Suddeutsche Zeitung in November that Zverev pushed her against a wall and proceeded to choke her.
Zverev’s trial in Berlin is slated to start on May 31, putting it in the middle of the French Open, though he will not be required to appear in person at court, at least at first, the BBC reported, though he could still “theoretically” be asked to attend later in the trial, a court spokesperson said.
The trial is expected to last eight non-consecutive days that could take proceedings into mid-July, ESPN reported.
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Tangent
This assault case follows previous abuse allegations against Zverev from his former girlfriend Olya Sharypova, who accused the German star of punching her in the face and covering her face with a pillow, leaving her “scared for [her]
life,” Slate reported in 2021. Zverev denied those allegations and Sharypova did not go to the police with them, though they prompted an investigation by the Association of Tennis Professionals, the tennis tour’s governing body, which found insufficient evidence to support the claims.
Chief Critics
In the wake of the allegations, Zverev faced public criticism after he was elected to an ATP advisory council in January. U.S. tennis star Sloane Stephens told reporters at the time a women’s star facing similar charges would not have been elected to the WTA player council, while Iga Swiatek, the No. 1 women’s player, told reporters “it’s not good when a player who’s facing charges like that is kind of being promoted.”
Surprising Fact
Zverev starred in an episode of Netflix’ since-canceled docuseries “Break Point” last year dedicated to his recovery from an ankle ligament tear and a surgery that sidelined the German star for months. Controversially, the episode never mentioned the allegations against Zverev. The show was canceled in March.
Contra
Nadal, regarded as one of the best tennis players of all time, has 92 singles titles to his name and holds the record as the winningest player in men’s singles competition at the French Open, though this year he entered the tournament unseeded following a string of injuries that kept him sidelined for months. He last won the French Open in 2022, defeating Zverev in the semifinals, when Zverev stumbled and injured his ankle so badly he left the court in a wheelchair and was sidelined from the sport for months.
What To Watch For
Zverev’s next match is scheduled for Wednesday against the winner of the first-round match between Germany’s David Goffin and France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Big Number
Over $2.6 million. That’s how much the winner of the men’s singles competition at the French Open will take home as a grand prize (roughly 2.4 million Euros).
Key Background
Zverev broke onto the international tennis scene as a 20-year-old in 2017, defeating three-time French Open winner Novak Djokovic at the 2017 Italian Open and Swiss star Roger Federer at the Rogers Cup that same year. In 2018, he was named on Forbes Europe’s 30 Under 30 in Entertainment, along with artist Dua Lipa, actress Millie Bobby Brown and actor Daniel Kaluuya. Zverev has since won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but has not yet won a grand slam singles title.
Further Reading