As Alexander Zverev stood at the microphone after his straightforward quarter-final win over Rafael Jodar, a sudden and violent hailstorm hammered the Court Philippe-Chatrier roof. Spring showers had dampened Roland-Garros all week, but this biblical downpour seemed to many observers too on-the-nose to be scripted—the heavens opening in disapproval of one of the most controversial players on the tour.
Two things can be true at once: Zverev, a three-time slam finalist and the prohibitive favourite to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires on Sunday, is the most complete player left in the draw and the best player of the last decade or more never to have won a major. But his presence at the business end of tournaments makes a significant section of tennis observers distinctly uncomfortable, as a heckler at the 2025 Australian Open final made clear.
In October 2023, Zverev was issued a penalty order and fined almost £400,000 for committing bodily harm against a previous girlfriend, Brenda Patea, after she accused him of strangling her. Under German law, a penalty order is issued when a trial is considered unnecessary, for example where there is compelling evidence for one side. Zverev reached an out-of-court settlement with Patea in June 2024 during the French Open, meaning proceedings were discontinued without a finding or admission of guilt. He has repeatedly and strenuously denied the allegations, describing them as “bullshit”.
He had previously been accused of domestic abuse by another former girlfriend, Olga Sharypova, in 2020 and 2021. Zverev denied the claims, and a 15-month ATP investigation found “insufficient evidence” to substantiate them. However, the ATP has rules allowing it to provisionally suspend players charged under criminal or civil law, yet it failed to follow its own regulations. The ATP only brought in a safeguarding policy in December 2025, more than five years after the allegations first surfaced.
Zverev has spent less than 12 hours on court to reach the last four, compared to nearly 16 for his semi-final opponent Jakub Mensik. He is the only one of the quartet with experience of this stage of a grand slam, having reached 11 semi-finals and three finals. The seeming inevitability of his victory is reflected in the phrase “anyone but Zverev” on social media, and the glum resignation accompanying it.
