Alexander Zverev settles abuse case with former girlfriend hours before French Open semi-final

Alexander Zverev has reached an out-of-court settlement with his former girlfriend, who accused the German tennis star of strangling her during an argument in May 2020.

According to reports in Germany, the settlement includes a monetary condition of 200,000 euros. The discontinuation of the trial does not constitute a finding of guilt or an admission of guilt, a statement from Zverev’s lawyers said.

“The process against Alexander Zverev was shelved today by the court with the agreement of the prosecutor’s office and Ms Brenda Patea,” a statement from the World No 4’s defence team said on Friday, hours before his French Open semi-final against Casper Ruud.

“Alexander Zverev agreed to this in order to shorten the process especially in the interest of the child they have together. Alexander Zverev remains innocent.”

According to the court, 150,000 euros of Zverev’s fine will go to the state with the other 50,000 euros going to charity, with both Zverev and Patea agreeing to stop the trial.

Zverev was handed a penalty order and fined almost £400,000 by a Berlin court last November following the allegations from Patea, who is also the mother of his three-year-old daughter. Zverev and Patea were no longer together when their child was born in 2021.

The 27-year-old Zverev appealed the court’s decision, leading to the criminal trial which started last week and during the French Open tournament where the World No 4 is one of the favourites.

The trial, which saw Patea testify in private following a request from the German’s defence team, was scheduled to last until July.

Zverev plays Ruud in the French Open semi-finals tonight aiming to reach the Roland Garros final for the first time.

Zverev, who described the allegations as as “bulls***” last November, said before the start of the French Open: “I believe in the German system. I do know what I did, I do know what I didn’t do. That’s, at the end of the day, what’s going to come out, and I have to trust in that.

“I do believe that I’m not going to lose this procedure. There’s absolutely no chance I am.”