It was a tense moment at the Australian Open finals this weekend when tennis star Alexander Zverev faced an unexpected challenge off the court. After losing to Jannik Sinner in straight sets, Zverev was heckled by a fan who brought up past domestic violence accusations during his post-match speech.

As Zverev stepped up to address the Rod Laver Arena crowd, someone shouted the names of two of his former partners who have accused him of physical abuse. The fan yelled, “Australia believes,” referencing the allegations. While the crowd initially reacted with boos, they quickly drowned out the disruption with applause, allowing Zverev to continue.

When asked about the incident later, Zverev brushed it off. “I think she was the only one in the stadium who believed anything in that moment,” he said. “I’ve done everything I can, and I’m not about to open that subject up again.”

The accusations first surfaced in 2020 when one ex-girlfriend claimed Zverev attacked her before a major tennis event in 2019. Zverev denied the claims, and an investigation by the ATP, the governing body for men’s tennis, found no evidence to support them.

More recently, Zverev settled a separate case with another former partner, with whom he shares a child. While he agreed to pay a fine, he did not admit guilt, and his legal team emphasized that the decision was made to avoid prolonged proceedings, especially for the sake of their child.

Zverev’s loss on Sunday marks his third defeat in a Grand Slam final. Despite his Olympic gold medal win in 2021, he’s still chasing his first major title. As the tennis world moves forward, the specter of these past allegations continues to follow him, even in moments meant for celebrating the sport.