Alexander Zverev playing despite being handed penalty for domestic abuse, even as Simona Halep serves doping ban, baffles tennis journalist

Tennis journalist Josh Levin has questioned why Alexander Zverev is being allowed to compete on the ATP circuit despite being given a penalty order by a German court in a domestic abuse case.

On October 31, it was reported that Zverev was issued a penalty order for bodily harm against his ex-girlfriend. The 26-year-old was also fined €450,000 by the Tiergarten district court in Germany. He was given a fine of 90 daily rates of €5,000, totaling €450,000 (h/t the Guardian).

But Zverev has denied the accusations, and lodged an objection against the order. In a recent press conference in Paris, the former World No. 2 said:

"I'm going against it, if that's what you mean. Yeah. I think it's completely bullsh*t. Anybody that has a semi-standard IQ level knows what this is all about. So, I'm not going to comment on it, to be honest, because it's going to be [a] procedure still to come I think."

Speaking on the latest episode of the Hang Up and Listen podcast, journalist Levin compared Zverev's case to that of Simona Halep. The latter has been serving a suspension for doping allegations.

Although Halep has denied the accusations and is fighting the issue, she is not allowed to compete until she clears her name — which is in stark contrast to Zverev's situation.

"There's an analogy in my view to be made to doping. In tennis, Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been suspended since last year after testing positive for a banned substance. She's been fighting and appealing that suspension ever since which, as of now, if the ruling stands, will keep her off the tour until 2026," he said.

"But while Halep is appealing, that suspension is still stood. She's been off the court. But Zverev is still competing. Next week, he'll be at one of tennis's showcase events, the year-end championship in Italy. In the past, he hasn’t been asked all that many questions about the abuse claims against him," he added.

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Alexander Zverev has suffered no professional repercussions, says tennis journalist

Alexander Zverev at the Wimbledon Championships.

Josh Levin also stated that while there were two separate allegations of abuse leveled at Alexander Zverev, the German player has not seen his professional life affected in any way.

Two women Zverev was in relationships with, Olga Sharypova and Brenda Patea, have accused him of similar offenses separately.

"The [latest] allegations are coming from a woman who is both his former partner and the mother of his child. Her name is Brenda Patea. That allegation sounds familiar, it's because a different woman, Olga Sharypova, has made strikingly similar accusations," Josh Levin said.

The journalist then recalled that the ATP conducted an internal investigation and cleared Zverev by stating that there wasn't sufficient evidence to punish him.

"So far, Zverev has suffered no professional repercussions for any of this. The men's pro tour, the ATP, did its own investigation of Olga Sharypova's claims. The ATP announced earlier this year that there was insufficient evidence to substantiate Sharypova claims and that its investigation into them was closed," he said.