“We Must Be Respected”: Domestic Violence in Men’s Professional Tennis
I wrote this article for a school newspaper six months ago (December 2020), and I wanted to share it and some of my thoughts behind writing it. Students from my school who were quoted remain anonymous or initials-only for privacy reasons.
**The first paragraph contains a description of an act of physical violence.
"We Must Be Respected": Domestic Violence in Men's Professional Tennis
“I was beaten and I will not be silent anymore.” – Olya Sharypova, Oct. 28, 2020 on Instagram
On Oct. 28, former junior tennis player Olga (“Olya”) Sharypova shared her story as a victim of domestic violence. She revealed through Instagram that in August 2019, her then-boyfriend hit her head against a wall and tried to strangle her with a pillow: “at that moment I was really afraid for my life.” She confirmed in the comments section of her post, as well as in a subsequent interview with CNN, that the abuser was 2020 men’s tennis world no. 7, Alexander Zverev.
Immediately following Sharypova’s post, Zverev faced backlash from many tennis fans, with the hashtags #IStandWithOlya and #SuspendZverevNow circulating through social media feeds. Women’s professional tennis player Daria Gavrilova, a former worldwide top 20 player, also took to Twitter to support Sharypova. Nevertheless, as of right now, Zverev has not received any repercussions whatsoever from the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), which oversees the men’s professional tennis circuit. The ATP, who have no specific fines or suspensions for players who commit acts of domestic violence, has continuously stayed silent on Zverev’s abuse of Sharypova and allowed him to continue playing in tournaments despite the allegations. The vast majority of men’s tennis players have remained silent as well.
“Zverev enters the Paris final in peak form.” – article published on the ATP Tour’s website, Nov. 7, 2020
The following week, during the Masters 1000 tournament in Paris, France, the ATP posted three articles detailing Zverev’s success at the tournament without mentioning the incidents of domestic abuse, choosing to focus instead on his on-court performance.
In his runner-up speech, Zverev stated: “I know that there’s gonna be a lot of people that right now are trying to wipe a smile off my face but […] everything is great in my life. The people who are trying can keep trying.”
OP, a sophomore on the Girls’ Varsity tennis team, reacted: “[Zverev’s] comments implying that [Sharypova] was lying are extremely frustrating. Such toxic and misogynistic ideas are detrimental […] and Zverev’s actions are terrible and horrifying.”
“In the event that the allegations are formalized […] we will make our assessments and make decisions on the matter. Otherwise, we reserve the right not to comment” – ATP statement on domestic violence, Nov. 13, 2020
Three weeks after Sharypova released her story, the ATP finally issued a token statement condemning “all forms of violence or abuse.” The organization committed to “making decisions” if victims went to court, which Sharypova has not done. Yet the statement did not specifically address Zverev’s abuse.
AC-M, a junior on the Girls Varsity basketball team, expressed her frustration with the ATP’s handling of the incident: “There needs to be real repercussions for domestic abuse. The ATP should have addressed it sooner.”
OP described the statement as “reactionary,” further expressing that “a promise to take stricter actions should have been made […] rather than one depending on the situation in a way that indicates lenient punishment.”
“It hurts me that in the 21st century we still have not come to the conclusion that a woman is also a person, a human. We must be respected, not treated like floor rags.” – Sharypova in an interview with CNN, Oct. 30, 2020
The issue of domestic violence is especially pressing during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many victims unable to escape their abusers due to stay-at-home restrictions. Reporting acts of abuse, especially against someone as powerful and successful as Zverev, takes immense courage. But now, more than ever, it is difficult to find others willing to rally behind a victim’s story.
“Survivors not being believed when they accuse their abusers is far too common […] It can be a motivation to not report the abuse experienced,” AC-M said. “Being a good tennis player, in fact being talented at any activity, does not excuse abuse. All abusers should be held accountable.”
Another student, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed that the tennis world should come together in support of victims: “In the men’s tennis world, I hope that more people can step forward to create another kind of ‘me too’ movement to protect current victims and prevent future incidents.”
Why I wrote this piece
As a tennis player myself, it was horrifying and saddening to follow the evidence of this incident of domestic violence as well as the ATP’s silence regarding the issue. And it certainly isn’t the only one. While researching, I came across this article on Georgian ATP player Nikoloz Basilashvili. His incident of abuse was much more high-profile, as his wife chose to press charges.
Reading through and researching this news, I was overwhelmed with anger, but the feeling that ultimately endured was anxiety. Anxiety that in this professional circuit, it’s difficult to hold professional athletes accountable for these types of acts. Anxiety that if I were in the same position, people wouldn’t trust my story and my evidence because I’m a woman speaking out against a powerful man. Anxiety about how hard it is as a teenage girl to be taken seriously.
Writing my findings down and having other people react to them really helped me recover and find a purpose and drive for all the anger and fear I’d built up from reading articles and statements about this incident.
Further Reading
Here’s an article including an interview (longer read) that provides more detail on Olya Sharypova’s story if you’re interested in learning more.
**Please read at your discretion as it describes physical and emotional violence.