Iga Swiatek addressed questions about Alexander Zverev’s pending trial for domestic abuse allegations during a press conference after her opening-round win over Sofia Kenin. Zverev is facing charges from ex-girlfriend Brenda Patea, marking the second instance of domestic assault accusations in his career. The first case, raised by Olga Sharypova, did not yield sufficient evidence according to an ATP investigation last year.
Swiatek acknowledged the sensitivity of the situation and refrained from offering a personal judgment without sufficient details. In her words, “Well, any answer that I give, I mean, there’s no good answer to that. I think it’s up to ATP what they decide. For sure it’s not good when a player who’s facing charges like that is kind of being promoted.”
Despite the upcoming trial and a hefty fine from the Berlin prosecutor’s office, Zverev has been appointed to the ATP Players’ Council for the 2024 season, a move criticized by fans. Swiatek, the World No. 1, expressed her discomfort with promoting a player facing domestic abuse allegations.
She emphasized that the decision lies with the ATP, urging the organization to determine the appropriate course of action based on the investigation’s outcome.
She continued, “I don’t know what the result of the investigation or the case is going to be. I’m also not sure what’s the history in terms of the other cases that he had. I don’t know if he won or lost. I guess you have to ask ATP what they want to do with that ’cause I’m not in the right position to judge.”