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A noted tennis journalist's take on Alexander Zverev's run to the final of the ongoing French Open has drawn angry reactions from fans. Zverev is slated to square off against Carlos Alcaraz in the men's singles final at Roland Garros on Sunday, June 9.
Zverev's 2024 French Open campaign has often been overshadowed by his domestic abuse trial in Berlin's Tiergarten District Court. The German's ex-girlfriend, Brenda Patea, who also happen's to be his daughter's mother, pressed charges against him last year. Patea alleged that in 2020, Zverev had pushed and strangled her during an argument between the pair in a Berlin apartment.
The court had initially given the 24-year-old a penalty order and levied a €450,000 fine. However, the German contested the decision, and a public trial commenced on Friday, May 31. It was discontinued next Friday, after Patea sought an early end to proceedings citing her concern for Mayla, her 3-year-old daughter with Zverev. The German's defense agreed to an out-of-court settlement, which entails Zverev paying €150,000 to the German state treasury and €50,000 to non-profit organizations.
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Recently, tennis journalist Peter Bodo wrote an article titled "Alexander Zverev's unusual Roland Garros has shaped up to be his Vindication Slam" for Tennis.com. In the article, Bodo touched on various themes; from the German's domestic abuse trial to his lack of success at Grand Slam level to the nightmare ankle injury he sustained in the semifinals of the 2022 French Open against Rafael Nadal.
However, tennis fans on X (formerly Twitter), did not take kindly to Bodo's use of the term 'vindication'. One section of fans opined that if Alexander Zverev's tennis absolves him of his alleged off-court crimes, then it's also up to tennis to take action whenever necessary. The sport's authorities as well as the majority of the German's colleagues have mostly remained tight-lipped regarding the domestic abuse charges against him.
"Apparently this is both a vindication for someone who settled a case of violent assault and something we should never talk about again. Tennis needs to choose, it can’t have both. And if you can be vindicated through tennis, action should be taken through tennis as well," one fan wrote.
"Hitting a good tennis ball doesn’t miraculously vindicate someone. I know it’s an easy story to correlate an impressive grand slam run with the timing of this settlement but FYI it doesn’t “vindicate” his innocence. A more interesting story: pro athlete resources < justice," commented another fan.
"He’s not “vindicated” because he wins a Slam lol," another fan chimed in.
Another set of fans ridiculed the article, with one suggesting that a woman would not at all be comfortable with writing it.
"Now hire a woman to write a piece on this same subject. I dare you," wrote one fan.
"What an absolute SHAME this post is. Good grief," another fan commented.
"You should be ashamed of this article," another fan weighed in.
Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim urged the ATP Tour to formulate a domestic violence policy after Alexander Zverev's trial was discontinued
Following the discontinuation of Alexander Zverev's domestic abuse trial, journalist Jon Wertheim took to X and stressed on the "urgent need" for the ATP Tour to draft and implement a stringent "domestic violence policy".
"Opinions are - predictably - all over the map here. Maybe we find common ground here? This sport and the in particular are in urgent need of a clear/concise/enforceable domestic violence policy…" Wertheim wrote.
Ahead of their French Open final, Alexander Zverev leads Carlos Alcaraz 5-4 in their head-to-head on the ATP Tour. The German got the better of the Spaniard in their last Grand Slam meeting, triumphing 6-1, 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-4 in the Australian Open finals this season.
However, it was Alcaraz who came out on top against Zverev in their most recenting meeting in the quarterfinals of the 2024 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. The Spaniard eventually went on to win the Masters 1000 title by beating Daniil Medvedev in a rematch of the 2023 final.
