A German court dropped proceedings against tennis star Alexander Zverev after he agreed to pay 200,000 euros ($218,000) and reached an out-of-court settlement with his former partner.
BERLIN — A German court on Friday dropped a case against tennis star Alexander Zverev after he agreed to pay fines of 200,000 euros ($218,000) and reached an out-of-court settlement with his former partner.
A Berlin district court ended the trial with the agreement of public prosecutors and lawyers for Zverev and his former partner, Brenda Patea, German news agency dpa reported. Zverev agreed to pay fines of 150,000 euros to the state and 50,000 euros to charitable organizations.
Zverev, the world number 4, was facing a charge of causing bodily harm to Patea during an argument in Berlin in May 2020, with prosecutors alleging he pushed her against a wall and choked her. Zverev denied any wrongdoing.
The matter went to trial after Zverev challenged a penalty order issued in October, including a requirement that he pay fines worth 450,000 euros ($490,000). Sentencing orders are used in Germany as a means of resolving some criminal cases without going to trial if the suspect does not contest the order.
Judge Barbara Lüders told the court she was withdrawing from the case after lawyers for Zverev and Patea had talked in recent days about ending their disputes “at all levels where there have been disagreements in recent years”.
The former couple wanted to end their public feud and “look forward”, also with regard to “joint custody of their son”, said Lüders.
Zverev, who faces Norwegian Casper Ruud in the French Open semi-finals on Friday, did not appear in court. Patea testified as a witness in a session closed to the public.
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