'Fed up': Pregnant ex slams Alexander Zverev's baby 'lies'
Alexander Zverev has more than just an Australian Open quarter-final against Novak Djokovic to worry about at the Australian Open.
The German tennis star's controversial private life has again spilled out into the public domain, with his pregnant former girlfriend hitting out at recent comments from the German.
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Zverev has indicated that he and former girlfriend Brenda Patea, a 27-year-old German model who dated Zverev for less than 12 months, are happily awaiting the arrival of their baby daughter.
The Australian Open sixth seed has suggested in recent interviews that he and Patea will work out a co-parenting situation, despite the fact that they have broken up.
Patea is 36 weeks pregnant but has said she doesn't want Zverev to have anything to do with her baby.
The German model says she was forced to address the messy situation after being bombarded with questions from fans during a recent question-and-answer session on social media.
“Okay, a lot of people ask since I have been seeing all these interviews with Alex lately, I really wonder what he wants to achieve?,” she wrote.
“‘Highlight of his life’? ‘He is pleased’? ‘Greatest place’? I hardly think so. Because we have no contact! And so far nothing has come from him! We were in contact a few months ago … when that was with his ex but that was it.
“Yes, it’s stupid about media … but hey if he gives such interviews with such statements I can finally say something about it … why?”
Patea accused Zverev of being dishonest in interviews about the baby when asked whether she has been sharing updates about the child with the tennis star.
“You could think through his statements but unfortunately not so! I don’t care now. Wanted to have ‘rest’ but so many people tell me ‘oh how already that you have contact or that there is interest’. (I’m) fed up with his ‘perfect interviews’. Be honest one day.”
The model spoke about the pregnancy in October and indicated that it was her intention to raise the baby on her own.
“I’m expecting a child from Alex,” Patea told German tabloid Bild.
“We don’t have any communication with Alex right now, and frankly, I don’t plan to share custody of my child with him … but I will do everything to ensure that (the child grows) up in a harmonious and proper environment. I have the chance to raise my child alone.”
Zverev at centre of ugly claims from another ex
It's not the only off-court distraction that the German tennis star has faced recently, with another former girlfriend making disturbing assault allegations against him.
Olga Sharypova claims she tried to commit suicide after he physically assaulted her in a hotel room in Geneva.
She also alleged that he tried to strangle her with a pillow before the 2019 US Open.
In an interview with Racquet Magazine published in November, Sharypova said she injected herself with insulin after the alleged incident in Geneva.
“We had another fight, and in that fight he punched me in the face for the first time,” Sharypova told the magazine.
“In other fights he was pushing me, shoving me, twisting my arms, choking me. But this was the first time he punched me, really punched me.
“After this fight he left the room, and I was dying. I was emotionally dying.
“I didn’t understand everything in my life. I couldn’t understand why I was dealing with this, and why he’s not leaving me, why this keeps happening.
“I understand that I can’t live like this anymore. I understand that I can’t be with this person anymore, but he can’t leave me. I knew he wouldn’t let me go.”
Sharypova said she injected herself with insulin in a suicide attempt, but later took glucose tablets that saved her life.
According to the author of the Racquet Magazine story, Sharypova showed a text message she sent to a friend containing pictures of bruises on her face and arms.
Zverev has vehemently denied the allegations against him.
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