LONDON: Former world number two Alexander Zverev will face no disciplinary action from the ATP after an independent investigation found “insufficient evidence” to substantiate allegations of domestic abuse, it was announced on Tuesday.

The German player became the subject of an ATP-commissioned probe in October 2021 following allegations made by his former girlfriend, Olya Sharypova.

Zverev had denied all of the allegations.

But the ATP said in a statement: “A major independent investigation into Alexander Zverev has found insufficient evidence to substantiate published allegations of abuse. As a result, no disciplinary action will be taken by ATP.”

The ATP, the governing body for the men’s professional tour, said while the primary focus of the investigation related to alleged abuses at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai in 2019, its scope also included purported misconduct in other locations, including Monaco, New York and Geneva, as referenced in public reporting.

An inquiry led by the Lake Forest Group (LFG), a third-party investigator, conducted what the statement said were “extensive interviews” with both Sharypova and Zverev, and 24 other individuals including family and friends, players, and other parties involved with the ATP tour.

It also reviewed submissions by both Sharypova and Zverev, including text messages, audio files, and photos.

Following a 15-month process, LFG submitted its full report to the ATP, which said that “based on a lack of reliable evidence and eyewitness reports, in addition to conflicting statements by Sharypova, Zverev and other interviewees, the investigation was unable to substantiate the allegations of abuse” or determine that violations of the ATP’s rules had taken place.

The statement added that the findings “may however be reevaluated should new evidence come to light, or should any legal proceedings reveal violations of ATP rules.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2023