In a stunning turn of events in the last Olympics at the Tokyo Games, Novak Djokovic’s quest for the elusive Golden Slam had come to an emotional halt as he faced a surprising defeat at the hands of Alexander Zverev. Zverev, the fourth seed, clinched a dramatic victory with a score of 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinal, shattering Djokovic’s hopes.
The Golden Slam, an extraordinary achievement in tennis history, involves winning all four Grand Slam titles-Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, the US Open and the Olympic Gold in the same year. Only two tennis legends in the Open Era, Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal, achieved this rare feat in men’s singles in their careers, and none accomplished it in the same year.
Djokovic was in the form of his life in the 2021 season and coming to the Tokyo Games he had already won the first 3 Grand Slams in a commanding manner. Djokovic’s quest to achieve this rare Golden feat was halted by Zverev’s resolute performance in a semifinal match that will be remembered for ages. Zverev orchestrated an incredible comeback win after losing the first set, ending Djokovic’s 22-match winning streak.
Zverev after beating Novak.
You are the greatest of all time I am sorry. pic.twitter.com/cm2fmKG39Z
— Bilal (@Belalzfr) July 30, 2021
In a touching post-match moment, Zverev, overwhelmed by emotion, approached Djokovic at the net and gave a heartfelt tribute to the Serbian maestro. He said, “You are the greatest of all time, I am sorry.” Djokovic’s aspiration to capture the elusive Olympic gold medal in his career and accomplish the Golden Slam had come to an end. For Zverev, it marked a moment of national pride and a pivotal milestone in his career.
Olympic champion Alexander Zverev faces a legal battle over assault
The reigning Olympic men’s tennis champion, Alexander Zverev, has found himself in a legal battle as a German court issued a penalty order against him for alleged bodily harm inflicted on his ex-girlfriend, Brenda Patea resulting in fines amounting to $476k.
This decision came from the Tiergarten district court on October 2nd, following an incident in Berlin in May 2020. He was accused of physically harming Brenda Patea and compromising her health during an altercation. Zverev, however, vehemently denies the charge and has raised an objection against the order.
BREAKING 🚨
As per Barron’s, Alexander Zverev has been issued with a penalty order for allegedly assaulting his former girlfriend.
He was handed a €450,000 fine by a Berlin court.
The German contested the fine and lodged an objection. pic.twitter.com/6VjL4nqfsK
— Relevant Tennis (@RelevantTennis) October 31, 2023
As the defendant contests the penalty order, the district court will revisit the case, enabling both parties to present their arguments before potentially scheduling a public trial. It’s crucial to note that Zverev maintains his presumption of innocence until proven otherwise. Additionally, Zverev’s former girlfriend has joined the proceedings as a co-plaintiff.
In response, Zverev’s legal team, Schertz Bergmann, has characterized the penalty order as “scandalous” and has presented expert medical evidence to counter the allegations made by the alleged injured party.