Andy Murray calls on ATP to 'make the decision' as Alexander Zverev trial begins
Alexander Zverev's appeal hearing has begun at a Berlin court.
Andy Murray says the ATP should be the ones making decisions as Alexander Zverev’s trial begins.
The world No. 4 is facing a trial after being accused of physically assaulting an ex-girlfriend who is the mother of his child. A Berlin court issued Zverev with a penalty order and a £384,000 (€450,000) fine in October. He denied the claims and contested the penalty order, prompting a trial which started on Friday, May 31. He maintains the presumption of innocence until the trial is complete.
Zverev is still competing at the French Open while the trial is taking place. And Murray said it isn't for the players to make a comment as he claimed the ATP haven't done a “particularly good job” with these situations previously.
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When Murray was asked whether he felt it was right that Zverev is competing while facing a trial in court, he put the onus on the ATP to put decisions and policies in place. “I mean, I got asked about that kind of a few years ago, and the ATP's kind of policy around those sorts of situations. Yeah, clearly it's a difficult one,” the three-time Grand Slam champion said on Friday, the first day of Zverev’s trial.
“You know, the players shouldn't be the ones that are coming in here making comment on it. It's the ATP who should make the decision and make the, you know, the policy for what that would look like.”
Murray also criticised the men’s tennis tour for how they had handled these situations in the past. The former world No. 1 continued: “I don't think they did a particularly good job over the last few years with, I don't know what the word is in terms of, you know, in these situations when you might ask me about that in press, like, it's not for us to come up with what those policies are. It's for the governing body to make that decision. Yeah, clearly it's a very difficult subject, but it's for you guys to obviously report on that, and we'll see what happens with the trial. And then, I guess, a decision will be made after that.”
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Zverev does not have to attend the trial and is being represented by his legal team. He is still in the draw at the French Open and will play his third-round match against Tallon Griekspoor on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Saturday.
The 27-year-old is accused of “physically abusing a woman and damaging her health during an argument.” The trial opened at the Berlin criminal court on Friday before it was adjourned.
The court heard that, after a “heated argument” at a rented Airbnb apartment, Zverev allegedly pushed his ex-girlfriend against a wall and strangled her with both hands before she left the building.
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The ex-girlfriend alleges that she suffered from throat pain and swallowing difficulties for several days after the incident. Zverev’s lawyer Alfred Dierlamm said the allegations were “unfounded and contradictory” and said Zverev’s legal team will present evidence “relevant to the trial” in the form of witnesses who weren’t part of the penalty order and chat messages which will give “an objective picture of the events”.
Speaking outside the court, the complainant's lawyer, Michael Nitschke, refuted suggestions that it was about the money. The trial was adjourned after Zverev’s lawyers made an application for the rest of the trial to be heard in private to protect his privacy and his daughter’s welfare. Nitschke said he had nothing against the request for the rest of the trial to take place behind closed doors.
The trial continues.
