German tennis star Zverev denies he attacked ex-girlfriend

Germany’s Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning against Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman  in the men’s final of the ‘Bett1Hulks Championships’ tennis tournament  on October 25, 2020. (Photo by Ina Fassbender / AFP)

German tennis star Alexander Zverev on Thursday said accusations by an ex-girlfriend that he had attacked her in New York last year were “simply not true.”

World number seven Zverev insisted claims made by Olga Sharypova that he tried to “strangle” her while at the US Open were “unfounded” and made him “very sad.”

Sharypova did not initially name Zverev in her Instagram post but later confirmed to Russian media that she was referring to her fellow 23-year-old.

Sharypova claimed also that her head was hit against a wall and that she was forced to flee a hotel barefoot.

“The unfounded accusations of my ex-girlfriend Olga Sharypova…make me very sad,” Zverev, who reached this year’s US Open final, said in a statement.

“I very much regret that she makes such statements because the accusations are simply not true.

“We had a relationship, but it ended a long time ago. Why Olga is making these accusations now, I just don’t know.

“I really hope that the two of us will find a way to deal with each other again in a reasonable and respectful way.”

Zverev also revealed Thursday that he is to become a father with former partner Brenda Patea.

“The last few days were quite challenging for me,” he admitted.