Zverev’s domestic abuse trial ended with out-of-court settlement

The German was accused of strangling his ex-girlfriend Brenda Patea, but the trial has been ended with an out-of-court settlement between Zverev and Patea

Alexander Zverev – Federico Pestellini / Panoramic

Jamie Malachy

June 7, 2024

Alexander Zverev has successfully ended his trial against accusations of domestic abuse by reaching an out-of-court settlement with former partner Brenda Patea.

The pair “came to the conclusion that they wanted to resolve this conflict peacefully, also in the interests of their common child,” explained court spokeswoman Inga Wahlen.

The German had been accused by Patea of physical violence against her. Specifically, Zverev was alleged to have pushed his former partner against a wall and strangling her on the night of May 20, 2020.

But just a week after the trial began in Berlin, a payment of €200,000 has been accepted by both parties as fair settlement. The agreement was put forward to the Berlin-Tiergarten court and accepted, meaning the trial ends with immediate effect and no further action will be taken.

€150,000 of the overall amount will go to the German public treasury while €50,000 will go to a collective fund for charitable institutions within one month of the settlement date.

The terms of the settlement between both parties is unknown at this time.

“Alexander Zverev accepted this situation in order to shorten the procedure, particularly in the interest of their child (with Patea), said the tennis player’s lawyers,” said a statement from Anna Sophie Heuchemer and Katharina Dierlamm, Zverev’s lawyers.

Given the settlement, the German will be considered innocent.

“The financial settlement does not result in a finding of guilt or an admission of guilt. The legal presumption of innocence remains unaffected,” as further explained by Zverev’s lawyers.

Zverev, the current world No 4, will face Casper Ruud in the semi-finals of Roland-Garros later today.

He beat Rafael Nadal in the first round and remains one of the favourites for the title.