Olympic champion Alexander Zverev is facing a trial during the French Open over an assault allegation against his former girlfriend. But the German world No.6, who is playing at the Australian Open, will not have to attend the court in person and can be represented by his lawyer.
A court in Berlin issued a penalty order in October ordering Zverev to pay fines amounting to 450,000 euros ($493,000) over the case.
Zverev’s lawyers contested the ruling so the case has now to be resolved in court. A date has now been set for May 31 during the French Open.
In a statement released when the penalty order was issued in November, Zverev’s lawyers said the evidence had been dismissed as “incomprehensible and contradictory” by a forensic medical report from a Berlin doctor.
The ATP ruled last January that Zverev would not face disciplinary action after its own investigation into domestic abuse allegations against him found “insufficient evidence” to substantiate the claims.
Zverev won the 2021 Olympic title after reaching the 2020 US Open final and was recently elected to the ATP Players’s Council.
Players at the Australian Open were reluctant to comment today. World No.1 Iga Swiatek said: “Any answer that I give, I mean, there’s no good answer to that. I think it’s up to ATP what they decide. For sure it’s not good when a player who’s facing charges like that is kind of being promoted.
“I don’t know what the result of the investigation or the case is going to be. I’m also not sure what’s the history in terms of the other cases that he had. I don’t know if he won or lost. I guess you have to ask ATP what they want to do with that ’cause I’m not in the right position to judge.” Stefanos Tsitispas said: “I will not say anything on that. I don’t know the situation. I’m completely unfamiliar with it. I have nothing to comment on it.”
And Cam Norrie added: “I haven’t had too much time to think about it, and don’t really have an opinion right now. I’m not exactly sure how to react to it, so won’t give you a good answer. Sorry.”
