Alexander Zverev given fine for alleged assault

FILE PHOTO:  Germany’s Alexander Zverev. REUTERS/Cathrin Mueller

German tennis star Alexander Zverev was handed a 450,000 euro fine ($475,300) by a Berlin court for allegedly assaulting a woman in May 2020, a judicial spokeswoman said Tuesday.

The former world number two is contesting the fine, which was issued on October 2, and has “lodged an objection”, a spokeswoman for the Berlin courts said in a statement.

Zverev has been “accused of physically abusing a woman and damaging her health during an argument” in the German capital over three years ago, the spokeswoman said, adding that until a final ruling is made, Zverev is considered to be innocent.

The Tiergarten district court will now “hear from those involved in the proceedings again”, before likely scheduling a hearing.

The alleged victim had joined the proceedings as a co-complainant, the spokeswoman indicated.

Zverev’s lawyers rejected the accusations in a statement, naming the woman as Brenda Patea, the tennis player’s ex-girlfriend.

The allegations made by Patea “which alone form the basis for the penalty order, have already been refuted by a forensic medical report”, the lawyers said.

In January, ATP, which runs the men’s tennis tour, closed an investigation into allegations of domestic abuse against Zverev involving a female tennis player after finding insufficient evidence.

The ATP had opened the probe into Zverev in October 2021 following allegations made by his former girlfriend, Olya Sharypova.

Zverev is currently competing in the ATP Paris Masters and won his first-round match against Hungarian Marton Fucsovics on Tuesday.