ANDREW CASTLE claims that allegations of domestic abuse are “weighing heavily” on Alex Zverev.
German Zverev defeated Diego Schwartzman 6-3 4-6 6-3 in his second match at the ATP Finals to avoid elimination from the group stages.
Before the tournament at the O2 the world No7 faced claims of physical abuse from ex-girlfriend Olga Sharypova.
The Russian, 23, alleged Zverev tried to choke her with a pillow at the 2019 US Open and punched her in the face at a Laver Cup event in Geneva.
Zverev, 23, strenuously denied the accusations, labelling them as “unfounded” and “untrue”.
And former British No1 Castle, 57, said: “He has got a lot on his mind.
“We know some of the allegations made against him, which he has refuted.
“It’s fair to say that this is obviously weighing very heavily on his mind.”
Zverev will face 33-year-old Novak Djokovic tomorrow in his final group match, hoping for a repeat of his victory against the Serb in the 2018 final.
He revealed: “After the Paris Masters I still had a little bit of an injury.
“I need to get used to it, and I hope that every match will be better.
“I hope on Friday will be even better, because that’s what I need against Novak.”
