Zverev appeal trial on assault allegations starts during French Open

German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action during a training session ahead of the Roland-Garros "French Open 2024", Grand Slam tennis tournament at Roland-Garros Stadium. Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Alexander Zverev's appeal against a €450,000 ($487,000) penalty order on aussault charges will start on May 31 during the French Open where the Olympic tennis champion will be making another attempt to win a first grand slam title.

A Berlin district court that 10 days are scheduled in the trial set to last until July 19.

The trial comes after Zverev appealed against the penalty order on charges that he assaulted a women in May 2020 in Berlin during an argument between the two.

The German player has dismissed the allegations and the court said the presumption of innocence remains until a verdict.

His legal team said in October that the allegations on which the penalty order was based have been refuted by an expert opinion from a forensic doctor.

They spoke of "the most serious procedural violations" and that Zverev would take action with "all means at his disposal."

Zverev doesn't have to appear in court but the trial could overshadow his campaign at the French Open where he was on Thursday drawn to play record winner Rafael Nadal in the first round of the tournament starting on Sunday.

The Paris grand slam runs until June 9, well into the trial. Zverev reached the semi-finals in the past two years.

© Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH