Tennis star Zverev put ‘hands around neck’ of girlfriend, court hears

While German tennis star Alexander Zverev prepared for his third-round match at Paris’ French Open, a judge in Berlin was hearing the opening statements of his appeal against domestic abuse allegations.

Zverev, 27, has not been required to attend the hearing in person, but his legal team – which is led by an eminent defence specialist named Alfred Dierlamm – described how they intended to refute the claims of Zverev’s former girlfriend, the actress and model Brenda Patea.

German tennis player Alexander Zverev.Credit: AP

According to court reports published by the German title DW, public prosecutor Philipp Zündorf began the session by reading out the charges against Zverev. They state that after a “heated argument”, he placed his hands around Patea’s throat with such force that she was unable to swallow without pain for several days.

In October, the Berlin criminal court issued a penalty order against Zverev in connection with Patea’s allegations, fining him around $740,000, but the defendant has the right to contest the order. The 26-year-old has strenuously denied the allegation.

During his opening address at Friday’s hearing, Dierlamm suggested that Patea had ulterior motives for making these accusations. “Above all, [her behaviour] was to increase her followers on Instagram and TikTok, and live a jet-set lifestyle,” he said.

The defence also said that they would reveal inconsistencies and contradictions in Patea’s account over the course of the trial. As part of this strategy, they proposed to call on a speech specialist to demonstrate that Patea’s claims have been copied from earlier allegations levelled by Olga Sharypova, another of Zverev’s ex-girlfriends.

Sharypova accused Zverev of domestic violence in 2020, but did not press charges, and a two-year investigation set up by the Association of Tennis Professionals was shut down in 2023 on grounds of “insufficient evidence”. Zverev has also denied these allegations.

When Zverev was asked about Patea’s claims at January’s Australian Open, he called them “bullshit” before adding “anybody that has a semi-standard IQ level knows what this is all about.”

Returning to the court hearing in Berlin, Dierlamm requested that the trial be held behind closed doors to protect Zverev’s privacy. The rest of the day’s proceedings were adjourned while the judge considered the request.

When asked about Dierlamm’s defence strategy, Patea’s lawyer Michael Nitschke told DW : “You’re not surprised, they are good lawyers. Their goal is to undermine her credibility.”

Nitschke added: “It’s definitely not about the money. It’s about justice. That’s what she hopes for.”

Zverev is due to play the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor on Saturday in the third round at Roland-Garros. He has already scored victories over David Goffin and 14-time Roland-Garros champion Rafael Nadal.

Telegraph, London

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