"He tried to suffocate me with a pillow" - Zverev's ex-girlfriend accuses him of domestic abuse, the World No.7 responds

Friday, 30 October 2020 at 12:15

US Open finalist Alexander Zverev has been accused of physical abuse by his former girlfriend Olga Sharypova, who claims she was assaulted by the athlete during their relationship which spanned several years.

Sharypova detailed the alleged incidents in an interview with Russian outlet Championat, stating that the abuse ranged from him "trying to suffocate her with a pillow" to "throwing her into a wall".

Although she admits to having constant quarrels with Zverev, Sharypova stated that things escalated in New York during the summer of 2019, a few days before the US Open.

She claimed Zverev was displeased with her late return after she had finished spending time with Daniil Medvedev's wife Darya, and he confronted her, leading to things getting physical.

“He tried to suffocate me with a pillow, he twisted my arms,” Sharypova claimed. “I tried to run away from the hotel room, but he stopped me several times. He was afraid that someone would see me or hear my screams. Finally, I managed to get out being barefoot and having just a phone with me.”

“At first, I was hiding inside the hotel, but Sasha managed to find me. He wanted me to go back to the room and talk. But of course, I realized there would be no calm dialogue between us at that moment. I was utterly scared and wanted to run away from him. And then he pushed me into the wall and said he will go unpunished for that.

"He said that no one would care no matter what he would do to me. Fortunately, some people entered the hotel and I went out. I was standing barefooted in the middle of the street. Luckily, I had my phone with me, so I messaged my friend who brought me to his family.”

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Sharypova revealed that she kept quiet for a year because she was terrified, as that was not the only incident that had occurred. However, she chose to go public in order to teach the German superstar that his alleged actions have consequences.

After maintaining silence on the issue, Zverev responded via an Instagram post. The World No.7 said her claims are unfounded and he strongly denied any wrongdoing.

“There are the unfounded accusations of my ex – girlfriend Olga Sharypova , which I read in the media today. They make me very sad,” wrote the recent Cologne champion. “We have known each other since we were children and shared many experiences together. I very much regret that she makes such statements because the accusations are simply not true."

“We had a relationship but it ended a long time ago . Why Olga is making these accusations now, I just don’t know . I really hope that the two of us will find a way to deal with each other again in a reasonable and respectful way.”

The 23-year old is due to return to the tennis circuit next week at the Rolex Paris Masters, before participating in the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals for which he has already qualified.

Arthur Ajayi

Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.

As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.

With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.

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