Spectator speaks out after shouting at Alexander Zverev at Australian Open final

The Melbourne woman who heckled tennis star Alexander Zverev at Rod Laver Arena after the men’s singles final has revealed the reason she chose to interrupt his runner-up speech.

The Melbourne woman who heckled tennis star Alexander Zverev at Rod Laver Arena after the men’s singles final has broken her silence on the public protest.

The woman, who wished to be named only as ‘Nina’, revealed she was “livid” that the German tennis-pro was starring on the world sporting stage despite allegations of domestic violence.

Zverev, 27, has been accused of physical abuse by two former partners, Olya Sharypova and the mother of his child, Brenda Patea.

After Sharypova alleged that she had been physicaly abused in 2020, the Lake Forest Group undertook a 15-month investigation on behalf of ATP and found insufficient evidence to substantiate the accusations.

Then in 2023, Patea filed a lawsuit against Zverev in Germany accusing him of physical violence, which reportedly settled out of court.

Zverev has repeatedly denied all allegations made against him.

A Melbourne woman repeatedly yelled at Alexander Zverev when he took to the stage to make his runners-up speech. Picture: AFP

On Sunday, Zverev was forced to stall his runners-up speech after losing the men’s singles final to Jannik Sinner.

In the crowd, a Melbourne woman stood up from her seat and yelled three times: “Australia believes Olga and Brenda”.

Zverev peered into the audience blank-faced while waiting for her to finish shouting before making his speech. He did not address the heckler.

Italy's Jannik Sinner, right, and runners up Germany's Alexander Zverev after their men's singles final match. Picture: AFP

In an interview with tennis blog, Bounces, Nina said she had planned to interrupt Zverev — known in Germany as “Sascha” — when he took to the stage at the end of the match, and strategically chose to sit near the media to be heard during the broadcast.

“I’ve been pretty livid ever since that Sascha has been able to go about his business and be celebrated and cheered on world stages,” Nina told tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg.

“Part of me has wondered whether that’s because the majority of people truly don’t care about victims’ voices and wellbeing.”

“I wanted him to know that tennis fans know and we care about those women. And we f---ing believe them.

“I wanted to be close enough to you all to hopefully hear me … and I wanted Olya’s and Brenda’s names to be heard in that arena.”

Having grown up in an abusive household, Nina believed stories of domestic abuse were too often quashed, so had planned to make a statement and came up with what to shout before the match with her sisters.

“I wanted Brenda and Olya and DV survivors to know they’re not forgotten, even when their abusers are celebrated on a world stage,” she said.

Nina said she knew Zverev could hear her in the quiet of the room before she bowed and left after shouting the heckle three times.

Outside, she was detained by tournament security before police banned her from the venue for 24 hours — which didn’t phase her being the Australian Open was over.

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said Nina was rightfully removed.

“If anyone comes on site and tries to be disruptive and tries to make a point, they’re not welcome,” he told 3AW.

Nina said she was “surprised” at the response and impact to her protest.

“I’m thrilled that Olya and Brenda’s stories are being recapped by media, and highlighted by other media for the very first time,” she said.

Originally published as Spectator speaks out after shouting at Alexander Zverev at Australian Open final