"I never want to hear another question about the subject again" - Alexander Zverev proclaims "innocence" as domestic abuse trial ends in settlement
Alexander Zverev has firmly expressed his desire to move on from the domestic abuse allegations leveled against him as his trial concludes with an out-of-court settlement. The German made the remarks after beating Casper Ruud to reach his maiden French Open final.
Last year, Zverev's ex-girlfriend and the mother of his three-year-old daughter, Brenda Patea, accused him of causing her "bodily harm," alleging that he had pushed her against a wall and strangled her after a heated altercation. Following a preliminary investigation, the Berlin prosecutor's office imposed a €450,000 fine on the World No. 4.
However, the 27-year-old contested the decision, leading to a domestic abuse trial that commenced on Friday, May 31. Merely a day after the trial began, the proceedings were moved behind closed doors at the behest of the German's legal team to protect his privacy.
The trial concluded just a week later, on Friday, June 7, as both parties agreed to an out-of-court settlement. While the World No. 4 was reportedly handed a customary €200,000 fine, to be divided between the state treasury and charitable organizations, his lawyers emphasized that "the dismissal does not constitute a finding of guilt or an admission of guilt."
The occasion proved monumental for Alexander Zverev, as he took on Casper Ruud in the semifinals of the French Open later that same day. After three consecutive semifinal exits at the claycourt Major, the German reached his maiden final by claiming a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory over an ailing Ruud in two hours and 36 minutes.
In his post-match press conference, the 27-year-old expressed elation about the resolution of his domestic abuse trial.
"I told you so from the start. I told everybody. I'm happy that it's over. Yeah, nothing else more to say. That's it. Four years. I'm happy about that," Alexander Zverev said (at 1:05).
When asked whether he had any reservations about reaching a settlement instead of having the court absolve him of all charges, Zverev maintained that dropping the case constituted his "innocence" and contended that Patea wouldn't drop the charges if he were guilty.
The World No. 4 also adamantly asserted that he never wanted to entertain any further questions on this matter, emphasizing his desire to move on.
"That's what dropping the case is. That is innocence. They're not going to drop the case if you're guilty at the end of the day. I don't know what translations you have, but that's what it means. Done. We move on. I never ever want to hear another question about the subject again. That goes out to everybody," he said.
"The daughter was really suffering" - Alexander Zverev's ex-girlfriend's lawyer reveals reason behind settlement in domestic abuse trial
One of Alexander Zverev's ex-girlfriend Brenda Patea's lawyers, Kristin Hartmann, shed light on the reason behind Patea's decision to opt for an out-of-court settlement in the domestic abuse trial.
Speaking to DW's Jonathan Crane, Hartmann disclosed that they had initiated the settlement process, sharing that Patea had sought a quicker conclusion to the matter as their daughter was "really suffering" during the ordeal.
"We applied for the settlement," Hartman said. "The daughter was really suffering. So now they can both look to the future and get on with their lives. We ended this deal with [the feeling] that people should stop throwing things at each other.
With the domestic abuse trial now behind him, Alexander Zverev will continue his pursuit of a maiden Grand Slam title against Carlos Alcaraz in a highly anticipated French Open final.