Ugly scenes mar Australian Open final as Alexander Zverev allegations brought up by heckler

Jannik Sinner is a two-time Australian Open champion, but his opponent, Alexander Zverev was forced to wade through a tough moment after his loss at the hands of the Italian.

Already inconsolable after being thrashed in the Australian Open final, Germany’s Alexander Zverev was left to address the ugly domestic abuse allegations that had been made against him after being heckled by a protester at the official trophy presentation.

Having already wiped tears from his eyes after sobbing into the shoulder of Jannik Sinner, Zverev was approaching the microphone for his runner-up speech, when a woman in the crowd screamed: “Australia believes Olya and Brenda”.

The protester was referencing the first names of Zverev’s ex-partners, Olga Sharypova and Brenda Patea. Both women have made domestic violence allegations against Zverev, which he strongly refutes.

RECAP ALL THE ACTION FROM THE MEN’S FINAL BELOW

The world No. 2, Zverev did not respond to the protester while on the podium but he did briefly address the matter at his post-match news conference.

“I believe there are no more accusations. There haven’t been for, what, nine months now,” he said.

“I think she was the only one in the stadium who believed anything in that moment. If that’s the case, good for her.

“I think I’ve done everything I can, and I’m not about to open that subject again.”

Zverev gave a harrowing insight into just how badly he was feeling about his tennis game during his on-court speech when he said he was starting to doubt whether he would ever win a grand slam after losing all three finals he has appeared in.

But he later clarified that didn’t mean he was giving up hope.

“I think it’s very difficult to give an on court speech after you lose a grand slam final,” he said.

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Germany's Alexander Zverev prepares to address the crowd. Picture: AFP

“I’m doing everything I can. I’m working as hard as I ever did. I think I’m doing all the right things off-court.

“I think I’m practising the right things, but I lost in straight sets today. I mean, those are facts. That is a fact. I lost to Jannik in straight sets today.

“I don’t want to end my career as the best player of all time to never win a grand slam, that’s for sure. I’ll keep doing everything I can to lift one of those trophies.”

Zverev was glowing in his praise of Sinner, saying the Italian was playing at the same level as the greatest players in history, including 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic.

“He’s very, very similar to Novak when he was at his best. They barely miss,” Zverev said.

“They make you think you have to over hit all the time to have a chance in a rally against them.

“It’s very, very difficult to win a point from the back of the court against them, against Novak and him. They move, obviously tremendous. They’re constantly on the baseline. They don’t give you any space. They don’t give you any time.

“I’ll do everything I can to be able to compete with them and to lift the trophy, but today was nowhere near good enough.

“The facts speak for themselves. He’s won all the Grand Slams on hard courts since last year. He’s lost, I think, three matches on hard courts, right? He’s in a different universe right now to anyone else.”

Germany's Alexander Zverev reacts his defeat. Picture: AFP

Zverev only dropped serve twice in the match, once in the first set and another in the third. But he did not get a single break point opportunity in the entire match against Sinner, then missed his chance of squaring the ledger in the second set tie-breaker.

“If it’s one set all, maybe I have a chance. But (not) two sets to love,” Zverev said.

“I didn’t stop fighting. I didn’t stop believing. Then in the third set I thought he outplayed me more than in the other sets.

“I was quite down. I was quite emotional.

“I think he saw that and he said that I will definitely lift one of those trophies in my career. That’s his words.”

Originally published as Ugly scenes mar Australian Open final as Alexander Zverev allegations brought up by heckler