HIJACKED SPEECH

Tennis Star’s Speech Interrupted by Heckles About Alleged Domestic Abuse at Australia Open

A woman in the crowd interrupted tennis player Alexander Zverev‘s losing speech.

A woman at the Australia Open interrupted German tennis player Alexander Zverev‘s losing speech while seemingly referencing allegations that he abused two of his exes. After losing his third Grand Slam final Sunday, Zverev stepped up to give his speech when a woman shouted from the crowd before he could begin. “Australia believes Olya and Brenda! Australia believes Olya and Brenda,” the woman appeared to say, referencing former partners Olya Sharapova and Brenda Patea who both accused him of domestic abuse in the past. According to The Athletic, Zverev looked into the crowd and smiled, with boos and applauses following. Afterward, the player was asked about the interruption, to which he said: “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.” Sharypova, who also was a tennis player, accused him of abusing her repeatedly in 2019. Patea, the mother of his child, alleged an incident where she was pushed and choked by Zverev during an argument. Zverev has denied any wrongdoing in both cases.