Alexander Zverev to stand trial in assault case in May but will not have to appear in court

Olympic tennis champion Alexander Zverev will stand trial for alleged assault in Berlin in late May but will not have to appear in court in person, German news agency dpa reported Monday.

The 26-year-old Zverev, who is competing at the Australian Open this week, is accused of assaulting a woman during an argument in Berlin in May 2020. Zverev has denied the accusation.

A court in Berlin issued a penalty order in October ordering Zverev to pay fines amounting to 450,000 euros ($493,000), but the player contested the ruling which meant the case went to trial instead. 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.

The dpa news agency said Zverev's trial will start on May 31, which is during this year's French Open. However, dpa cited a court spokesperson who said he will not need to make a personal appearance and can be represented by a lawyer.

The men's tennis tour ruled last January that Zverev would not face disciplinary action after its own investigation into domestic abuse allegations against him found “insufficient evidence” to substantiate the claims.

Zverev was a finalist at the U.S. Open in 2020, won the men’s singles Olympic gold medal in 2021 and is sixth in the rankings. He will face fellow German Dominik Koepfer in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday.