Alexander Zverev’s trial for allegedly causing bodily harm to a woman begins in Germany

German tennis player Alexander Zverev’s trial for allegedly causing bodily harm to a woman began Friday, German news agency dpa reported.

Zverev, who is playing at the French Open, was not present for the first day of the trial. The prosecution accuses Zverev of pushing his ex-partner against a wall and choking her during an argument in Berlin in May 2020, dpa reported.

The trial comes after Zverev contested an earlier penalty order issued on October 2, including a requirement for Zverev to pay fines amounting to 450,000 euros ($488,000).

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Penalty orders are used in Germany as a means of resolving some criminal cases without going to trial if the suspect does not contest the order.

Zverev has previously denied the allegations. His defence sought Friday to cast doubt on his ex-partner’s statements, dpa reported.

The 27-year-old Zverev was a finalist at the U.S. Open in 2020, won the men’s singles Olympic gold medal in 2021 and is fourth in the rankings. He won his second-round match at the French Open on Thursday against David Goffin and was not scheduled to play Friday.