Alexander Zverev ‘tried to strangle his ex-girlfriend at last year’s US Open’

A former girlfriend of Alexander Zverev has claimed the tennis star tried to strangle her and hit her head against a wall at last year’s US Open.

Olya Sharypova, 23, who was in a relationship with Zverev for several years before they broke up last year, initially revealed via an Instagram post on Wednesday that she was a victim of domestic violence.

While not explicity naming the 23-year-old world No 7 tennis player in the post, Russian photographer Sharypova – herself a former junior tennis player – was contacted by Russian outlet Championat, where she revealed that she had indeed been speaking about Zverev.

In her initial Instagram post, she wrote: ‘I want to tell one very personal and very hard story for me that I have already experienced and left in the past.

‘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.’ 

Then asked by Championat whether she was referring to Zverev, she 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 (Zverev) got angry about it.

‘When I got home, we had a fight. 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.’

Sharypova also claimed in her post and in the interview that that the violence from Zverev wasn’t a one-time thing and claimed it had happened multiple times during their tumultuous relationship.

Sportsmail have contacted Zverev’s representatives for comment.

The allegations come after Brenda Patea, another one of Zverev’s ex girlfriends, announced that she was pregnant with his child earlier this week, and she claimed she was seeking sole custody of their baby. 

‘I am 20 weeks pregnant and I am expecting a child from Alex,’ Patea told Gala Magazine via BILD. 

‘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.’

Later speaking on Instagram, she added: ‘I am pregnant and I am very happy about it and so many of you have already sent me congratulations and I wanted to say thank you for that on here. 

‘I am very happy about it and yes.. but nonetheless, I have also received a lot of negative messages that hurt me a lot, with claims that are simply not true. 

‘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! 

‘And well, what should I say, every woman wishes for a partner at her side and a happy, carefree relationship during pregnancy. But it is what it is and I have decided to have the child and I am looking forward to it and don’t want to hide it or anything.’

Away from the allegations, Zverev has already made headlines for the wrong reasons on two previous occasions this year.

Earlier this month after his fourth-round French Open exit, he caused Covid-19 controversy by admitting he had played while feeling ill. 

‘I was completely sick in the night after the match with Marco Cecchinato (in the third round)’ he said. ‘I can’t really breathe as you can hear by my voice. I had fever as well. I’m not in the best physical state, I would say.’

He did not consult medical staff before playing and the safety protocol for the event called for players to ‘adopt a responsible attitude and not attend the stadium’ if they felt unwell.

It wasn’t the first time Zverev has behaved recklessly with Covid-19, having attended Novak Djokovic’s notorious Adria Tour. He was then pictured partying in a French restaurant within a week of returning from that.