TENNIS star Alexander Zverev has denied allegations made by his ex-girlfriend that he tried to strangle her and hit her head against a wall at the 2019 US Open.
Olya Sharypova, 23, dated the German world No 7, also 23, for several years before their split last year and claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse on Instagram on Wednesday.
The Russian photographer did not name Zverev specifically but once contacted by Russian outlet Championat, she confirmed he was the subject of her post.
Sharypova claimed Zverev tried to strangle her with a pillow in an attack before the tournament – where Zverev reached the fourth round – that she says left her fearing for her life.
Zverev called the accusations “unfounded” and “simply not true” in a statement posted on Twitter.
He wrote: “The unfounded accusations of my ex-girlfriend Olga Sharypova, which I read in the media today… make me very sad.
“We have known each other since we were children and shared many experiences together. 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,”
Sharypova’s earlier post – accompanied with a shot of her outside Rome’s Colosseum – read: “I was a victim of domestic abuse! The first time this happened at the beginning of this relationship, there was a quarrel and I got hit with my head against the wall with so much power that I sat on the floor.
“In August of that year, I ran out of the hotel barefoot. I was standing on the streets of New York and didn’t know where to go and what to do.
“They tried to choke me with a pillow, hit my head against the wall, twisted my hands and at that moment I was really afraid for my life.
“This was far from the first and not the last situation when I was raised in a relationship. It was the scariest because at some point I couldn’t breathe.
“Honestly, that time I remember hard because there were no colours of life, one fog and a lack of understanding. I was a different person, believed in love and tried to keep it. But people don’t change, as time shows.”
In response to a question posed by Championat about whether Zverev – known as Sasha – was the person in question, Sharypova said: “On that day, I was just walking with Daria Medvedeva [wife of Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev] and my friend.
“We lingered a little, and Sasha got angry about it. When I got home, we had a fight.
View this post on InstagramМЕНЯ БИЛИ И БОЛЬШЕ НЕ БУДУ МОЛЧАТЬ. Я сейчас хочу рассказать одну очень личную и очень тяжелую для меня историю, которую я уже пережила и оставила в прошлом. Пишу я это, чтобы девушки, которые находятся или находились в такой же ситуации не чувствовали себя одинокими и нашли в себе силы жить дальше. Я была жертвой домашнего насилия! Первый раз это случилось в начале отношений, была ссора и меня ударили головой об стену с такой силой, что я села на пол. Что было дальше? Меня обвинили в том, что это я поднимаю руку.. человек, который секунду назад меня ударил стоял и кричал на меня, за что ударил не он, а я. Как это возможно? Почему я сразу не ушла? Почему простила? На эти вопросы , я правда не могу дать ответы. Я любила. Искренне любила и хотела быть с этим человеком, мне казалось , что это всего лишь ошибка, которую мы вместе исправим и оставим в прошлом. Но единственное , что стоило оставить в прошлом- это эти отношения. В августе прошлого года я побитая выбежала из гостиницы босиком. Я стояла на улице Нью-Йорка и не знала куда мне идти и что делать. Меня пытались задушить подушкой, ударили головой об стену, скручивали руки и в тот момент я действительно боялась за свою жизнь. Это была уже далеко не первая и не последняя ситуация, когда в отношениях на меня подняли руку. Она была самая страшная, потому что в какие-то моменты я не могла дышать. Честно, то время я вспоминаю с трудом, потому что тогда не было никаких красок жизни, один туман и непонимание происходящего. Я была другим человеком, верила в любовь и пыталась ее сохранить. Но люди не меняются, как показывает время. Отношения с абьюзером это сейчас не новость. Но когда ты в них находишься, тебе очень сложно из них выйти. Как из них вышла я? Это отдельная история, которую я расскажу чуть позже. Потому что я больше не буду молчать. Потому что эта тема, о которой нужно говорить. И я больше не боюсь. #янебоюсь
“Our quarrels always took place from scratch. I wrote on Instagram that he tried to strangle me with a pillow, twisted my arms.
“I tried to run out of the room several times, but he would not let me. I was afraid that someone might see and hear us. But in the end I managed to break free, and I ran off barefoot.
“At first I was hiding in a hotel, but Sasha went downstairs and found me. We stood near the side entrance. I sobbed and tried to leave, and he wanted me to return to the room and we talked.
‘But I understood that at that moment there would be no dialogue. I was scared and wanted to run away. But Sasha pushed me against the wall and said that he would get nothing for it.
“Fortunately, at that moment people appeared, and I rushed with them into the street. I was alone, barefoot in the middle of the street.
“After this situation, Sasha wrote to and called me. At first I didn’t want to see him, but I decided that we still need to talk. I arrived at the hotel and waited for him in the lobby, because I did not have a room card.
“While we corresponded with Sasha, we again began to swear with him. I sat in the hotel toilet and cried. And when he arrived at the hotel, he just threw my things into the lobby.”
View this post on InstagramJedem Anfang wohnt ein Zauber inne. Dies ist mein zauberhafter Anfang mit einem neuen Leben unter meinem Herzen.
Ich kann kaum in Worte fassen, wie es sich für mich anfühlt, schwanger zu sein – es ist einfach nur eine überwältigende Zeit.
Mama zu werden erfüllt mich mit einer so großen Freude und doch macht es mir auch ein bisschen Angst. Diejenigen unter euch, die bereits schwanger waren, können das vermutlich nachvollziehen.
In den vergangenen Wochen gab es einige herzzerreißende und freudige Momente und dann wieder Situationen der Unsicherheit, weil mein Kind in stürmische Zeiten hineingeboren wird. Aber egal was noch auf uns zukommen wird…ich werde mein Kind lieben und beschützen, bis ans Ende meiner Tage. Ich bin schon jetzt die glücklichste Mama der Welt und ich freue mich so unbeschreiblich dieses Glück mit euch teilen zu können! Danke an alle, die mir so tolle, positive Nachrichten geschrieben haben. Ihr ahnt gar nicht, wie happy ihr mich damit macht. Ich bin zu Tränen gerührt, so viele Glückwünsche von euch bekommen zu haben und dass ihr eure Geschichten mit mir teilt, bedeutet mir sehr viel.
Schön, dass es euch gibt
#kugelrundundglücklich #20ssw
Sharypova claimed, both in her post and interview, that the alleged violence from Zverev was not a one-off and occurred on multiple occasions during their relationship.
Zverev, who reached this year’s US Open final last month, also insisted he is ready to “live up to my responsibility as a father” after claims from another ex, Brenda Patea, this week that she was pregnant with his child and wanted sole custody of the baby.
Patea revealed she was 20 weeks pregnant in an interview with Gala Magazine via Bild.
She said: “I am 20 weeks pregnant and I am expecting a child from Alex.
“That is out of the question for me [shared custody]. The child was not planned, but I will do everything to ensure that it grows up in a harmonious environment. I am in the fortunate position of being able to raise the child on my own.”
On Instagram, she added: “The claims I am talking about were regarding the topic of child custody. Yes, I am seeking sole custody of the child and with good reasons, but they are private.
“I am not in contact with Alex, but I want to state very clearly on here that if he seeks contact with the child, I will not forbid it, on the contrary!”
In his Twitter statement, Zrevev wrote: “I will be a father at age 23. And I am very much looking forward to the child.
“Even though Brenda and I are no longer together, we have a good relationship and I will live up to my responsibility as a father. Together we will take care of the little person that is about to grow.”
