A trial in Berlin against Alexander Zverev for assault ended without a verdict on Friday, just hours before his semi-final at the French Open.
The court concluded the trial after all parties agreed on a fine of €200,000 ($218,000) for the Olympic tennis champion from Germany, €150,000 for the coffers of justice and €50,000 for charity.
The payment does not constitute an admission of guilt and the presumption of innocence remains.
Zverev, 27, had appealed against a €450,000 injunction for domestic violence, which was issued without trial.
According to the indictment, based on the statements of Zverev’s ex-girlfriend, Brenda Patea, the player allegedly attacked her during an argument in May 2020 at a flat in Berlin.
The trial began on May 31 and was originally scheduled to last ten days until July 19.
It now ended after three days when the defense teams of Zverev and of his ex-girlfriend as co-plaintiff reached an out-of-court agreement after talks to end the years-long dispute, Judge Barbara Lüders said.
Lüders said that the Public Prosecution Service had also agreed to this solution.
She said Zverev and Patea’s reputations could have been seriously damaged if the trial had continued.
Zverev’s lawyer accused Patea on the first day of fabricating the charges. Patea testified behind closed doors on Monday and then reported sick. Her lawyer accused the Zverev side of a campaign against her.
A court spokeswoman said: “What happened is open.”
Zverev, who was not required to appear in court, protested his innocence throughout the case and said at the French Open that the legal proceedings had no impact on his play.
He will face Norwegian Casper Ruud in the semi-finals at Roland Garros later on Friday. Zverev makes another attempt to claim a first grand slam title in Paris.
