"Extreme sense of relief": Zverev settles dispute with past management
When it came to describing the events, Alexander Zverev and ACE Group International each had a rather different version. Zverev is now represented by Team8.
Alexander Zverev's lengthy dispute with his former agency, ACE Group International, has been settled, both sides said.
But when it came to describing the events, each had a rather different version.
A statement from ACE confirmed a "settlement was reached" just prior to a scheduled court hearing in London. It said the agency had represented Zverev for "six very successful" years, "earning him an estimated $40 million in long-term commercial deals."
According to the statement, Zverev had given "various false reasons" for being entitled to leave and had dropped his subsequent claim against his former agency. But, it added, his former agent, Patricio Apey, was "proud" he "helped nurture" Zverev from No. 825 to No.3 in the rankings.
Zverev is now managed by Team8, which also represents and is partly owned by Roger Federer.
"It's an extreme sense of relief. We have been dealing with this for two years now," said Zverev, speaking to press on the court steps in London. " I'm happy to be released from that."
Zverev's position was that ACE had attempted to get him to commit to a much longer deal than he recognized.
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It comes following a highly-charged season for Zverev, who had his former girlfriend announce she is expecting their child, and another former girlfriend accuse him of domestic abuse in 2019 while they had had a relationship. On court, he reached the final of the US Open, the final of the Paris Masters and won back-to-back Cologne events.
The 23-year-old German is No. 7 in the rankings. The ATP is currently using an adjusted ranking system that allows players to count tournaments from either 2019 or this season in their ranking points.