German tennis player Alexander Zverev's trial for allegedly causing bodily harm to a woman commenced on Friday, as reported by German news agency dpa. Zverev, who is currently competing at the French Open, was not present for the trial's first day. The prosecution claims that Zverev pushed his ex-partner against a wall and choked her during an argument in Berlin in May 2020.
The trial follows Zverev's challenge of a penalty order issued on October 2, which included fines totaling 450,000 euros ($488,000). In Germany, penalty orders are utilized to resolve certain criminal cases without the need for a trial if the accused does not contest the order.
Zverev has consistently refuted the allegations against him. During the trial's opening day, his defense team attempted to raise doubts about his ex-partner's statements, according to dpa.
The 27-year-old Zverev, a prominent figure in the tennis world, reached the final of the U.S. Open in 2020, secured the men's singles Olympic gold medal in 2021, and currently holds the fourth position in the rankings. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Zverev managed to win his second-round match at the French Open against David Goffin on Thursday and was not slated to compete on Friday.
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