Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili, the current world No.27, was charged on Sunday with physically assaulting his ex-wife in front of the couple's son, prosecutors said.



Basilashvili, the top-ranked player in his nation’s history, has been charged with perpetrating "violence against a family member committed in the presence of a minor" and released on bail amounting to $30,000.

Basilashvili faces up to three years behind bars if found guilty. A preliminary court date has been set for July 16.

Basilashvili's ex-wife Neka Dorokashvili told the Mtavari TV station on Sunday that he "physically assaulted" her Friday in the presence of their five-year-old son.

Basilashvili denied the charges, his lawyer Irma Chkadua told journalists. Basilashvili won two ATP 500 titles and reached a career-high ranking of 16 in the world in 2019.

The Georgian Tennis Federation released a statement that read: “First of all, we would like to state that Georgian Tennis Federation has always condemned any form of violence. The incident involving Nikoloz Basilashvili is currently under police investigation and GFT will refrain from either announcing its position on the matter or making any comments until such investigation is completed.”