Craig Tiley, the chief of the Australian Open, has addressed the incident involving a woman who heckled Alexander Zverev following his loss in the 2025 Australian Open final. The fan shouted controversial remarks as Zverev, visibly emotional, prepared to deliver his concession speech after suffering a decisive defeat at the hands of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
The woman’s outburst targeted Zverev, shouting, “Australia believes Olya and Brenda.” She was referencing the domestic abuse allegations that have been made against the German player—first by Olga Sharypova (known as Olya) in 2020, and then by Brenda Patea, the mother of Zverev’s child, in 2023. While Sharypova did not press charges and the ATP conducted a two-year investigation before deciding not to take action, Patea pursued legal action, and Zverev eventually agreed to a €200,000 settlement in June 2023. However, he has continually denied the allegations made by both women.
In response to the heckler’s disruptive behavior, Tiley made it clear that such actions are unacceptable. Speaking with Melbourne’s 3AW radio station, Tiley remarked, “If anyone comes on site and tries to be disruptive and make a point, they’re not welcome. We don’t want them. They ruin it for everyone else.” He continued by stressing that this particular incident “ruined it for everyone,” further clarifying that fans who disrupt the event will be removed. “Yes, she was removed from the site,” he confirmed, acknowledging that it was the right course of action to maintain the integrity of the tournament and the enjoyment of other fans.
While the Australian Open prides itself on being known as the “Happy Slam,” this year’s tournament witnessed a troubling rise in fan misconduct. Early in the event, Danielle Collins found herself facing a hostile crowd, and there were numerous instances where umpires had to implore spectators to remain quiet before and during points. In a bizarre turn of events, Novak Djokovic, who was forced to retire due to injury in his semi-final match against Zverev, was met with boos from the crowd as he left the court. This led to calls for a potential alcohol ban on-site in an attempt to rein in unruly fan behavior.
Despite these incidents, Tiley remains firm that he is not planning any drastic changes to the tournament’s operations. He explained that while the increase in crowd disruptions has been noticeable, the overall number of fan evictions has not spiked significantly compared to previous years. “Evictions have been on par with previous years or even fewer,” Tiley explained, underscoring that disruptive behavior is unfortunately inevitable in large events with over a million attendees.
He continued, “There’s always going to be one or two people who make it unpleasant for others. That’s human behavior.” Tiley also noted that despite the few bad apples, the overall atmosphere at the Australian Open remains overwhelmingly positive, with fan engagement at an all-time high. “I want to look more at the number of fans who come through the gates and the energy and the enjoyment that they’re having,” he said, adding that feedback from both fans and players has been overwhelmingly positive.
Tiley also defended the balance the Australian Open strives to strike. He emphasized that while disruptions are handled swiftly and efficiently, the event is not designed to silence fans altogether. “We’re not going to design an event where we keep people silent, because then the next question will be, ‘Why aren’t people enjoying it?’”
In closing, Tiley expressed pride in the success of the event, citing record-breaking crowds and high levels of satisfaction from fans and players alike. “The number of notes I have or emails or WhatsApp messages saying ‘Thank you again,’ this is by far the best tournament,” he said, confidently standing by the quality of the Australian Open experience despite a few disruptive incidents.