German tennis player Alexander Zverev’s trial over domestic abuse allegations made by his former girlfriend has been discontinued.
The Tiergarten District Court in Berlin said: “There has been a settlement between the defendant and the complainant. This settlement is not part of this trial though and the court is not part of this settlement.”
The world number four was given a penalty order last October and fined 450,000 euros (£390,000) after being accused of physically abusing his ex-partner.
Zverev, 27, denied the claims and lodged an objection against the order, which resulted in a public trial.
The trial started on 31 May and was due to resume on Friday, but both Zverev and his former girlfriend, who he has a child with, have agreed to end proceedings.
Zverev, who was not required to appear in person at the court, faces Casper Ruud on Friday in the semi-finals of the French Open.
"The decision is not a verdict and it is not a decision about guilt or innocence," the court told BBC Sport.
"One decisive factor for the court decision was that the witness has expressed her wish to end the trial.
"The defendant agreed to the termination of the case."
Zverev's representatives, Anna Sophie Heuchemer and Katharina Dierlamm, confirmed the Olympic champion agreed to terminate the case in order to "shorten the proceedings".
They added the dismissal "does not constitute a finding of guilt or an admission of guilt".
The court said Zverev must pay 200,000 euros (£170,000), with 150,000 euros going to the German state treasury and the rest to non-profit organisations.
Zverev's lawyers said the penalty order issued in October is "therefore now groundless".
The trial had been scheduled to continue until the middle of July, with Wimbledon set to start on 1 July.
The trial was adjourned last Friday after Zverev's lawyers made an application for the complainant's evidence to be heard in private.
The defence's request was granted, meaning the public were excluded from hearing the accuser's evidence.
Zverev said he trusted the legal system on the first day of the trial.
"I believe in the German system. I do believe in the truth, as well. I do know what I did, I do know what I didn’t do," he said before the start of the French Open, where is trying to win his first Grand Slam title.
"That’s – at the end of the day – what’s going to come out, and I have to trust in that."
Comments
Post a Comment