Zverev's Australian Open Heckler Breaks Silence: 'Wanted Him To Sit In Discomfort'
News
The woman who interrupted Alexander Zverev's runner-up speech at the Australian Open by shouting about previous allegations of domestic abuse against him has spoken about why she did it.
Zverev chose not to respond during the trophy ceremony when the protestor heckled by saying she believed Olya Sharypova and Brenda Patea, the German's previous long-term girlfriends, who made accusations against him.
The ATP investigated Sharypova's claims, finding there was insufficient evidence. Patea took her accusations to the German legal system. An out-of-court settlement was eventually reached without an admission of guilt by Zverev.
In a press conference after the final, Zverev did not want to talk much about the incident. He said there were no other allegations against him and considered those other two cases to be closed.
The protestor, who chose not to give her real name, spoke to journalist Ben Rothenberg about the incident. She was furious about those chanting Zverev's name in the stands and wanted to remind the world about the allegations against him.
"I was sitting on his player’s box end of the court. All night, people were cheering 'Sascha! Sascha! Sascha!' It was gross. He may try to bully people—ATP, journos, whomever—into quashing the story. But I wanted him to know that tennis fans know and we care about those women. And we f***ing believe them."
Growing up in an abusive environment also influenced the woman's actions. She admitted to wanting to make Zverev feel discomfort by protesting against him on the world stage.
"I wanted Sascha to sit in his own discomfort, [to know] that we will not forget, even if he wants to brush it aside. And as an Eastern European woman who grew up in an abusive environment supported by the power of silence in 'household matters,' I wanted my voice to be heard."
The protestor, referred to using the false name Nina throughout Rothenberg's interview, saw Zverev looking up at her when she began calling out, which convinced her to do it one more time to make the message clear.
"The only thing I viscerally recall was before the last time I called out, I could sense the quiet in the room and I knew for sure I was being heard. I saw Sascha looking up in my direction. I told myself: 'One more time. He can hear you. Show him there's no question of whose names you're calling in support of.'"
Despite the controversy surrounding her actions, the protestor has no regrets and is heartened by the reaction of many to the incident on social media, including those previously unaware of the allegations.
"I'm thrilled that Olya and Brenda's stories are being recapped by media, and highlighted by other media for the very first time. I'm surprised at the impact. This was never about attention for myself."
"I’m grateful for the friends and family showing me support; they’ve shared with me some positive comments online, and I’m glad to see it. I hope Olya and Brenda experience and witness the same positivity."
