Alexander Zverev abuse claims resurface as German tennis star wins US Open

German tennis star Alexander Zverev has previously faced abuse allegations from former partners, claims he has denied.

The allegations have received renewed attention as Zverev beat Ben Shelton at the US Open on Sunday.

One case involved his former girlfriend Brenda Patea, a model and the mother of his daughter.

According to court filings obtained by ESPN, Zverev was accused of “physically abusing and damaging the health of a woman during an argument in Berlin in May 2020.”

CNN reported that court documents accused Zverev of having “briefly strangled his then partner on the neck with both hands in the stairwell of a Berlin apartment building during an argument.”

Zverev denied the allegations.

Criminal proceedings against Zverev were discontinued in June 2024 with the consent of prosecutors, Patea and Zverev’s defence counsel, according to information provided by Berk Communications.

The discontinuance required Zverev to meet court-imposed conditions, including payments totalling €200,000 to the state and a charitable fund.

Berk Communications said the payments were procedural conditions and did not constitute a fine, penalty or sentence.

The matter formally concluded in July 2024. There was no conviction, guilty plea or finding of guilt, and the court did not rule on Zverev’s guilt or innocence.