Alexander Zverev's domestic abuse allegations are 'messy cloud' for tennis

Had Alexander Zverev booked his place in the Australian Open final, an already difficult situation would have got even more uncomfortable.

The German is facing a trial over domestic abuse allegations that he denies. And while there has been increasing focus on the matter in the past fortnight since a court date was set, he would have been even more under the spotlight had he been competing for one of tennis' biggest prizes on Sunday.

Questions over whether he should be playing and whether he should be in a leadership role on the ATP Players Council while the case is ongoing have been posed to him and his fellow players at various news conferences in Melbourne.

And those questions have been getting louder.

"It's been very uncomfortable for a lot of people in the tournament - organisers, players and fans included - to have Zverev be such a prominent figure in this tournament," tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

"It's been a messy cloud over Zverev. It's come into focus really like never before during this tournament," added Rothenberg, who first reported on separate abuse accusations against Zverev three and a half years ago. The German also denies these allegations.

"It's gained traction during this Australian Open," he added. "Something about the combination of Zverev being featured on the Netflix show [earlier this month] … his election to the Player Council [this month] … and the concreteness of having this court date set for late May."

Olympic champion Zverev lost to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals on Friday, missing out on the chance to face Italian Jannik Sinner for the biggest title of his career.

After the defeat, he was asked if it had been more difficult to concentrate at the tournament following the announcement of the court date last week.

He said: "No, because I have said it before: Anyone who has a semi-decent IQ level understands what's going on. I hope that most of you guys do. I'm fine with it."

However, the world number six is likely to continue being under scrutiny in the months ahead for more than just his tennis. BBC Sport explains why.

In November 2023, Zverev was given a penalty order and fined by a German court after being accused of physically abusing his ex-girlfriend, Brenda Patea, who has spoken publicly about the incident that she says occurred in May 2020.

Zverev denies the charges and has lodged an objection against the order, meaning he remains legally innocent and is not convicted until a final ruling.

He will now face a public trial in front of a single judge, with the hearing at the Tiergarten district court in Berlin starting on 31 May.

Zverev does not have to appear in person and the trial is expected to last eight days, German court officials told BBC Sport.

German law allows sentences in cases of physical abuse to range from a fine to up to five years in prison. With the court already issuing a 450,000 euro (£390,000) fine, it is likely that penalty will remain if he is found guilty.

The case will not be heard over consecutive dates. After the start of the case on 31 May, the court will sit on 7, 11, 18 and 21 June, followed by 5, 12 and 19 July - period of time during which the French Open and Wimbledon will take place.

In a statement released when the penalty order was issued in November, Zverev's lawyers said the evidence had been dismissed as "incomprehensible and contradictory" by a forensic medical report from a Berlin doctor.

Legal firm Schertz Bergmann also claimed the process leading to the penalty order had included "serious procedural violations".

In October 2020, former girlfriend Olya Sharypova accused Zverev of violence and emotional abuse during their relationship. He denied the allegations and said they were "unfounded".

Sharypova did not press charges but in October 2021, the ATP opened an investigation into the claims.

ATP chief executive Massimo Calvelli said at the time that the allegations were "serious" and that "we have a responsibility to address them".

In January 2023, the ATP investigation found there was "insufficient evidence" to substantiate claims made by Sharypova and so Zverev did not face disciplinary action.

The ATP decision could be "re-evaluated should new evidence come to light", it said.

Zverev said at the time the investigation had been "long and difficult process" and "justice had prevailed".

He added: "From the beginning, I have maintained my innocence and denied the baseless allegations made against me."

Men's tennis' governing body the ATP does not have a domestic abuse policy.

When it was investigating the accusations by Sharypova against Zverev, it completed a safeguarding review and it now has a safeguarding director.

The ATP did not publish its report into the investigation.

Andy Murray was among the players who, at the time of that investigation, called for the ATP to introduce a domestic abuse policy - something that Zverev has also spoken in favour of.

Players have faced questions at news conferences in Melbourne about whether it is appropriate that Zverev remains on the ATP Player Council while the case is ongoing but have been reluctant to comment.

The Player Council is elected by players and represents players' interests in Tour decisions.

"My take is that I'm good at playing tennis, and I'm not good at making political decisions. Going to stay out of it and focus on tennis," Alex de Minaur said.

Britain's Cameron Norrie said "it was tough to comment" because he did now know what happened, while Casper Ruud said he had not had "too much time to think about it" and was "not exactly sure how to react to it".

Grigor Dimitrov, meanwhile, said: "I think this is a matter that I think everyone needs to sit down together and discuss all of that."

Zverev himself said that he thought he had the confidence of his fellow players to continue in the role, adding: "Nobody has said anything to me."

And when asked if it was appropriate that he was still be in a leadership, he replied: "Why would it not be?"

Female players have been a little more prepared to comment, with world number one Iga Swiatek saying: "I think it's up to [the] ATP what they decide. For sure, it's not good when a player who's facing charges like that is kind of being promoted."

Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens said it was a "difficult situation" and "at this point for the tour and for the fans it needs to be done with".

Earlier this year, Netflix series Break Point featured an episode about Zverev which did not mention any allegations.

There have been no statements from Australian Open organisers on the matter, although former player Jelena Dokic did bring attention to domestic abuse during the tournament. She asked Aryna Sabalenka during her on-court interview to sign some towels that could be auctioned to raise money for a domestic abuse charity.

The ATP, which has in the past said it "fully condemns any form of violence or abuse", has said it will not be saying anything further until the German legal process has run its course.

Until then, Zverev may well face more questions in news conferences at tournaments as he continues to play on the tour, especially when his trial begins in the middle of the French Open.