Ahead of his quest for a third ATP Finals title in Turin, World No. 1 Alexander Zverev has been hit with a civil lawsuit over public misrepresentations by Brenda Patea, the mother of his child.
According to Bounces’ Ben Rothenberg, the lawsuit — reportedly filed in Berlin on September 18 — centers on a recent L’Équipe interview in which Zverev claimed his “innocence has been proven,” two years after the conclusion of their criminal suit.
The 2024 criminal case ended in a €200,000 settlement — €150,000 to the German state treasury and €50,000 to charities. In discontinuing the proceedings, the court explicitly noted the outcome was neither a conviction nor an acquittal, leaving no verdict on his guilt or innocence.
As such, Patea felt that Zverev was in no position to claim his innocence had been proven.
Alexander Zverev’s Legal Troubles
The civil suit stemmed from Patea’s allegation that Zverev physically assaulted her during an argument in a Berlin apartment in May 2020. Per court records, she claimed he pushed her against a wall and strangled her with both hands, leaving her with throat pain and shortness of breath. Zverev has consistently denied all allegations of abuse.
Shortly after the trial ended in 2024, Zverev lashed out when BBC’s Russell Fuller asked if he had “any reservations on your part that you came to a settlement and that you didn’t have a chance for the court in Berlin to say that you were innocent of all the charges?”
As highlighted by Rothenberg, Zverev rejected the notion that he wasn’t innocent.
“That’s what dropping the case is: that is innocence,” Zverev had said.
“They’re not going to drop the case if you’re guilty at the end of the day. I don’t know what translations you have, but that’s what it means. Done. We move on. I never ever want to hear another question about the subject again. That goes out to everybody.”
Patea is one of two ex-girlfriends to accuse Zverev of physical abuse, alongside Olga Sharypova.
ATP Finals Begins
Zverev, who won his first two career Grand Slams this year, faces Spanish prodigy Rafael Jodar in the group stage of the ATP Finals on Sunday.
While Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz enter as the clear co-favorites, Zverev isn’t ready to underestimate Jodar, Ben Shelton and Arthur Fils.
“I think we shouldn’t disrespect anybody,” Zverev said when asked if the rest of the field stood a chance, via ATP. “I don’t think about Carlos right now, but I think about these three young gentlemen because we have a very strong group and everybody shows that they know how to play tennis, otherwise they would not be here.
“So my focus is on them at the moment and then we see what will happen later in the week.”
Alexander Zverev’s Ex Makes Explosive New Allegations Amid ATP Finals