The tennis turned out to be one of the least interesting aspects of the men’s Australian Open final as the world No 1 Jannik Sinner predictably bulldozed Alexander Zverev, the No 2, to clinch his third grand slam and second consecutive victory in Melbourne Park. He did not face a break point in the match.
As Zverev, who had shed tears in the aftermath of his defeat, stood in front of the microphone to deliver his runner-up speech, a woman’s voice pierced the silence: “Australia believes Olya and Brenda,” she shouted, repeating the phrase twice more. Amid confused mutterings and some boos, the spectator was detained by security and evicted from the stadium.
That moment touched on a significant issue that has played out in the background over the past few years. Zverev was accused of physical assault by two of his former partners, Olya Sharypova and Brenda Patea, who is the mother of their child. He has repeatedly denied all accusations.
“I believe there are no more accusations,” Zverev said on Sunday. “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.”
There are no more active investigations or legal processes hanging over Zverev. The ATP took no disciplinary action against him in 2023 after an independent investigation into Sharypova’s accusations by Lake Forest Group, due to “insufficient evidence to substantiate published allegations of abuse”. Then, in the second week of a public trial last May, Zverev’s and Patea’s camps agreed a settlement.
Under the terms of that settlement, the tennis player retains the presumption of innocence. However, Patea’s allegations of domestic violence were neither disproven nor rescinded; no decision was made on guilt or innocence. At the time, a court spokesperson described the status of the case, which was officially declared no verdict, succinctly: “The truth remains open.”
Throughout these legal processes, as Zverev has climbed back to No 2 in the world after a significant achilles injury, he has remained a popular figure with crowds around the world. The protest was therefore unexpected and extraordinary, particularly in the context of a grand slam final, but it reflects the simple fact there are fans who are uncomfortable watching his progress following the allegations.
Not long after Zverev addressed the issue of his on-court heckler during his press conference, Sinner settled in the same seat. A winner’s post-match press conference after a grand slam final victory is normally a joyous experience as they try to come to terms with the success, usually with a glass of champagne in hand after a fortnight of abstinence and discipline. A day earlier, Madison Keys took her time to detail the arduous journey that had brought her maiden grand slam title at 29.
For Sinner, however, a more serious topic needed to be addressed. Of the nine questions asked, three referenced his ongoing anti-doping case. Sinner was cleared of deliberate wrongdoing and received no suspension last year following a positive test for the banned substance clostebol. The World Anti-Doping Agency, however, opted to appeal against the verdict to the court of arbitration for sport with a hearing set for 16-17 April.
Sinner’s emergence should have only been an incredible development for the sport. Following years of uncertainty about what lay ahead for men’s tennis after Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, two potential legends in the Italian and Carlos Alcaraz have emerged. Instead, the former’s breakthrough period has coincided with arguably the most high-profile anti-doping case in the history of the sport. To his credit, Sinner answered each question patiently and in depth, and he did not try to pretend it is not a significant issue.
As he awaits the hearing, the sport is essentially in a state of limbo. It will have massive implications for both the next year in tennis and the 23-year-old’s personal legacy. Even though they usually hear almost the same arguments as the initial independent tribunal, Cas panels have not been afraid to differ from the initial verdict. In 2023 the former world No 50 Mikael Ymer was initially cleared after three missed anti-doping tests before he received an 18-month suspension from Cas after the International Tennis Federation appealed. Conversely, Simona Halep’s initial four-year ban was reduced to nine months on appeal. Even if a relatively small, minor ban is imposed on Sinner, the date of the hearing means he could miss the next three grand slam events.
While the women’s Australian Open closed out a spectacular series of thrilling battles as Keys won two dramatic three-set matches against the top two players, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, the finale of the men’s event has instead highlighted uncomfortable issues.
English (US)