Berlin, June 07, 2024, The Europe Today: Olympic champion Alexander Zverev has reached an out-of-court settlement with his ex-girlfriend, who had accused him of strangling her in the stairwell of an apartment building in May 2020. The agreement was revealed at the Berlin criminal court on Friday.
Details of the Settlement
Announcing the settlement, the sole presiding judge, Barbara Lüders, stated that the proceedings had been “discontinued” without a verdict. Zverev has been ordered to pay court costs totaling €200,000 ($217,791) within a month, with €150,000 going to the state and €50,000 allocated to charitable causes.
“I think it’s important to continue living without any further blame,” Lüders remarked. “That is what has been agreed here. It’s a good ending, it’s a success.”
The settlement, which was proposed by the ex-girlfriend’s lawyers on Monday evening after the second day of the trial, includes no admission of guilt by Zverev.
Lawyers Remain Silent on Settlement Details
Both Zverev’s lawyers and those representing his ex-girlfriend declined to provide specifics about the settlement, including whether it involved a financial component.
The case went to trial after Zverev contested a penalty order and fine of €450,000 issued in October last year in connection with the alleged incident. Zverev, who is competing in the French Open semifinals today, had denied the charges of “physically abusing a woman and damaging her health during an argument.” The woman is the mother of Zverev’s young daughter.
On Friday, the court heard how the well-being of their daughter played a crucial role in the decision to settle.
“We are happy that an agreement has been reached,” stated Katharina Dierlamm, one of Zverev’s criminal defense lawyers. “This is for the good of the child that they have together, so it has the chance to grow up without conflict.”
A statement released through Zverev’s media lawyers at Schertz Bergmann law firm noted: “Alexander Zverev has agreed to this discontinuation via his defense lawyer, solely in order to shorten the proceedings, above all in the interests of their child. Alexander Zverev is considered innocent.”
Ex-Girlfriend’s Lawyers Wanted to Avoid Prolonged Trial
Speaking to DW outside the courtroom, the ex-girlfriend’s lawyers expressed their desire to avoid a lengthy trial.
“We applied for the settlement,” confirmed Kristin Hartmann, one of the lawyers. “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.”
The media and public were allowed back into the court to hear Lüders announce the discontinuation of proceedings. They had been excluded from the trial following a successful request by Zverev’s lawyers to have the ex-girlfriend’s testimony heard behind closed doors. She had been due to be cross-examined today.
On the first day of the trial on May 31, Alfred Dierlamm, another of Zverev’s lawyers, portrayed the ex-girlfriend as a liar motivated by fame and fortune. The trial was adjourned before she could testify in public.
On Friday, Michael Nitschke, another lawyer for the ex-girlfriend, rejected claims that she was motivated by money.
“She is not money-hungry,” Nitschke said. “That is simply not true. This will no longer be discussed. We have sorted everything out that needed to be sorted out, and everyone is happy.”
The settlement brings an end to a contentious and high-profile case, allowing both parties to move forward.
