Zverev’s Tennis Settlement in Germany: Payment and Allegations

Alexander Zverev’s tennis settlement in Germany ended on June 7, 2024, when a Berlin court discontinued the domestic assault case against him after he agreed to pay €200,000. The resolution came under Section 153a of the German Code of Criminal Procedure, which allows a case to be closed without any verdict, conviction, or finding of guilt or innocence. Zverev remains legally presumed innocent, and the case cannot generally be reopened on the same facts.

What Zverev Paid and to Whom

Under the agreement reached with the Berlin public prosecutor’s office and his ex-girlfriend Brenda Patea, who had joined the case as a co-plaintiff, Zverev was required to pay €200,000 within one month. Of that sum, €150,000 went to the state and €50,000 to charitable organizations.¹²

The €200,000 figure was substantially lower than the €450,000 penalty order the same court had issued in October 2023, which was calculated as 90 daily rates of €5,000.³ Zverev’s objection to that penalty order is what triggered the public trial that the settlement ultimately ended.

What the Settlement Legally Means

The case was closed under Section 153a of the German Code of Criminal Procedure. That provision lets a court discontinue proceedings for misdemeanors if the accused agrees to conditions such as payments to the state or a charity, and if both the prosecutor and the accused consent. It generally applies to offenses punishable by a fine or less than one year in prison.⁴

A dismissal under Section 153a is not a conviction. Nothing is entered in Germany’s Federal Central Criminal Register, and the defendant’s certificate of good conduct remains clean.⁴ The presumption of innocence under the European Convention on Human Rights continues to apply.⁵ Once the payment conditions are met, the case is permanently closed and the same offense generally cannot be prosecuted again.

The court itself was explicit on this point. A court spokesperson, Inga Wahlen, said: “The decision is not a verdict and it is not a decision about guilt or innocence.”⁶ Section 153a is a common mechanism in Germany for lower-level criminal matters when both sides see an advantage in avoiding a full trial. It is not equivalent to an acquittal or to a finding that the allegations lacked merit.

The Allegations That Led to the Case

Prosecutors alleged that between midnight and 2:30 a.m. on May 20–21, 2020, Zverev pushed Patea against a wall and strangled her with both hands in the stairwell of an Airbnb in Berlin’s Charlottenburg district. The alleged choking was described as brief but resulted in difficulty breathing and significant pain.⁷ Zverev denied the allegations throughout the proceedings and afterward.⁸

How the Case Reached a Settlement

The Berlin public prosecutor’s office applied for a penalty order against Zverev in July 2023. A penalty order is a German procedure used when prosecutors believe the evidence is strong enough that a full trial is unnecessary.³ On October 2, 2023, the Tiergarten District Court issued the order and imposed the €450,000 fine.

Zverev formally objected, which under German law automatically converts a penalty order into a public trial. Proceedings opened on May 31, 2024, before presiding judge Barbara Lüders.⁹¹⁰¹¹ Her testimony began that day but was cut short when she fell ill, and the court adjourned.

Four days later the court announced that the case had been discontinued. Zverev, Patea, and the prosecutor had agreed to resolve the matter under Section 153a. Patea had also stated during the proceedings that she was no longer interested in pursuing the prosecution.⁷

What the Court and the Parties Said

Judge Lüders called the outcome “a good ending” and “a success,” saying, “I think it’s important to continue living without any further blame.” She said the couple’s shared child played an important role in the decision, and that the parties wanted to end their public feud and resolve disputes related to joint custody.¹¹²

Defense lawyer Katharina Dierlamm said the agreement was reached “for the good of the child that they have together, so it has the chance to grow up without conflict.”¹ Zverev’s attorneys, Anna Sophie Heuchemer and Dierlamm, added in a statement that the discontinuation “does not constitute a finding of guilt or an admission of guilt” and that the original penalty order was “therefore now groundless.”⁸

Zverev, speaking after reaching the French Open final on the same day, said: “I told you so from the start. I told everybody. I’m happy that it’s over. Nothing else more to say.”⁸ After his semifinal win a day earlier, he had said: “They’re not going to drop the case if you’re guilty at the end of the day. Done. We move on.”¹³ The court, as its spokesperson stated, made no such finding.

What the Settlement Did Not Cover

The German case dealt only with Patea’s allegations. Separate public accusations by an earlier ex-girlfriend, Olga Sharypova, who in October 2020 alleged multiple incidents of physical abuse during their 2019 relationship, were never the subject of criminal proceedings. Sharypova did not go to police and has said she does not intend to pursue criminal or civil action. Zverev called her claims “unfounded.”¹⁴

The ATP conducted its own independent investigation into the Sharypova allegations through the Lake Forest Group. On January 31, 2023, the ATP announced it had found “insufficient evidence to substantiate published allegations of abuse” and took no disciplinary action, adding that the determination could be revisited if new evidence emerged.¹⁵ The ATP did not conduct a separate investigation into the Patea allegations, which proceeded through the German courts.

Reaction Inside Tennis

The settlement drew sharp criticism. WTA players Sloane Stephens and Iga Świątek questioned the ATP’s decision to place Zverev on its players’ advisory board while he faced charges. Stephens asked, “Would that happen on the WTA Tour? Probably not.” Świątek said it was “not good when a player who’s facing charges like that is kind of being promoted.”⁶

Media coverage described the outcome as leaving tennis in a state of “legal and moral limbo,” noting that the ATP had for years declined to adopt a specific domestic abuse policy, citing the principle of “innocent until proven guilty.”⁶

The ATP later announced a Safeguarding Programme on December 19, 2025, effective January 2026. Overseen by ATP Director of Safeguarding Andrew Azzopardi, it establishes a code of conduct covering abuse, domestic violence, harassment, and inappropriate conduct across ATP Tour and Challenger events. It requires a Designated Safeguarding Officer at every tournament, creates a Safeguarding Advisory Panel for independent oversight, and mandates reporting of abusive behavior. Punishments can range from reprimands to permanent revocation of tournament access.¹⁶¹⁷ It arrived more than a year after the Berlin settlement.

1
DW. German Tennis Player Zverev Agrees to Settle Assault Case
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The Guardian. Alexander Zverev Settles Assault Case
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The Guardian. Alexander Zverev Penalty Order
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Defenza. Dismissal of Criminal Proceedings Without a Main Hearing
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Caspers Mock. Dismissal of Criminal Proceedings Under Section 153a
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The New York Times Athletic. Alexander Zverev Case Tennis
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Le Monde. German Court Drops Zverev Domestic Abuse Case After Settlement
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BBC. Alexander Zverev Settles Assault Case
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DW. Alexander Zverev Assault Trial Opens in Berlin
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The New York Times Athletic. Alexander Zverev Trial Berlin Closed Doors
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Tennis World USA. Judge Has Just Made Big Move in Alexander Zverev Assault Trial
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Sydney Morning Herald. Zverev Settles Domestic Violence Case
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The New York Times Athletic. Alexander Zverev Grand Slam Title Domestic Abuse Allegations
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BBC. Alexander Zverev Allegations Explained
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ATP Tour. Zverev Investigation Completed
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ATP Tour. ATP Safeguarding Programme Announcement
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ESPN. ATP Tour New Policy Adds Protection, Training, Potential Bans