"Alexander Zverev was allowed to play?" - Tennis fans react to German playing at Swedish Open 2023 amidst another assault allegation

By Sreeja Banik

Modified Jul 21, 2023 16:34 GMT

2022 ATP Cup: Day 2 — Tennis fans react to German playing at the 2023 Swedish Open amidst another assault allegation

Several tennis fans have reacted to Alexander Zverev competing at the 2023 Swedish Open amid the recent assault allegation made by his former partner Brenda Patea.

Zverev defeated Brazil's Thiago Monteiro 6-1, 6-0 in a mere 61 minutes on Thursday. He will next face second seed Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals.

Earlier this week, news emerged that the public prosecutor's office in Berlin has filed an application for a criminal order against Alexander Zverev. Brenda Patea's management team went on to confirm that the allegation against the tennis player pertains to bodily harm. However, the specific details of the charge have not been disclosed yet.

The tennis community was taken aback at seeing Zverev competing at the Swedish Open despite the assault allegations. They expressed their astonishment through various social media platforms.

Former American tennis player Noah Rubin voiced his concerns on social media, questioning how Zverev was permitted to participate in the tournament.

One fan sarcastically said Alexander Zverev was allowed to participate in the tournament because his opponent was not a woman he was involved with.

Alexander Zverev will take on Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals of the Swedish Open 2023

Alexander Zverev will face Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Swedish Open on Friday.

Zverev hasn't had a great season thus far, with a win-loss record of 28-17. However, he has secured two impressive wins in Bastad, including an almost flawless performance against Thiago Monteiro in the second round.

Zverev has been steadily building momentum in his recent tournaments. The World No. 19 reached the semifinals at both Roland Garros and the Halle Open. However, he lost in the third round at Wimbledon to Matteo Berrettini.

Zverev will now look to continue his winning streak on the Swedish clay against his close friend, Andrey Rublev.

Rublev is participating in Bastad for the second time, following his impressive semifinal finish at the event last year. He has a strong win-loss record of 36 wins and 14 losses this season, including a quarterfinal appearance at Wimbledon where he lost to Novak Djokovic. Rublev also reached the finals at the Halle Open.

Alexander Zverev currently holds a commanding 5-1 lead in his head-to-head record against Rublev. They have only played on clay once before, in Monte-Carlo, where the German emerged victorious 6-1, 6-3.

Rublev managed to secure a 6-3, 7-6 victory over the former World No. 2 in their most recent clash in Dubai this year, his first and only win against Zverev.

About the author

Since joining Sportskeeda as a journalist in January 2023, Sreeja has remained steadfast in delivering thorough coverage of the tennis world. Her bachelor's degree in English has proven invaluable, with over 1000 articles already under her belt for the company.

While writing, Sreeja prioritizes reliability by sourcing information from credible outlets and presenting various perspectives to her readers. She regularly keeps track of updates by closely monitoring the official websites of WTA and ATP, as well as the social media profiles of prominent journalists.

Sreeja draws inspiration from Rafael Nadal's unparalleled dominance on clay courts and Steffi Graf's remarkable career trajectory, while also holding Novak Djokovic in high esteem. Her passion for tennis reaches its peak during the Australian Open and the French Open, particularly relishing the clay court matches.

When she is not collecting information about tennis, she fills her time with reading and playing darts while also keeping her finger on the pulse of pop culture.

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