Georgian tennis star Nikoloz Basilashvili, ranked 27th in the world, was charged on Sunday with physically assaulting his ex-wife, prosecutors said.

A court in the Georgian capital Tbilisi charged Basilashvili with perpetrating "violence against a family member committed in the presence of a minor" before releasing him on bail amounting to 30,000 U.S. dollars (27,500 euros), prosecutor Natia Guruli said.

He faces up to three years behind bars if found guilty.

Basilashvili's ex-wife Neka Dorokashvili told the Mtavari TV station on Sunday that he "physically assaulted" her Friday in the presence of their 5-year-old son.

Basilashvili denied the charges, his lawyer Irma Chkadua told journalists.

The 28-year-old won his second ATP title at the China Open in 2018 by defeating world No. 4 Juan Martin del Potro in the final, three months after winning the German Open in Hamburg.

He went on to defend the Hamburg title last year.

In May 2019, Basilashvili reached a career high of 16 in the world.

French Open organizers working with authorities to avoid U.S. Open clash

Today should have been the date for the French Open to start had the event not been postponed in Paris. The pandemic, however, prevented it from happening.

"Today we should be in Paris," Rafael Nadal expressed his nostalgia via social media. The Spaniard, who has collected an all-time record of 12 titles at Roland Garros, was the defending champion of the French Open in 2019.

In March, the French Open's organizers announced a shock reschedule of the event from May to September, seven days after the U.S. Open final in New York, triggering criticism in the tennis world for its lack of communication.

On Saturday, French Open director Guy Forget said he was working hand in hand with tennis authorities to make sure the dates of the clay court Grand Slam tournament and those of the U.S. Open do not clash.

"The official announcement has not been made yet. It (the French Open) will probably be between the end of September and the beginning of October. We've been working closely with the ATP, the WTA and the ITF to make a global announcement on what the circuit will be like until the end of the year," Forget told French radio Europe 1.

"There are so many question marks. The city of New York is more affected by coronavirus than France. They also have a lot of organization problems; they will make an announcement mid-June to say how it's going to be like for the U.S. Open."

Forget said he is confident the event will be played in favorable conditions and he is not resigned to playing the tournament behind closed doors.

"Now, we don't know what's going to happen in a month or two. We will adapt to whatever the government tells us. We should be ambitious and optimistic."

The French government has banned events involving 5,000 or more people before September.

(With input from agencies)

(Cover image: Nikoloz Basilashvili of Team Georgia plays a forehand to Rafael Nadal of Team Spain during day two of the 2020 ATP Cup Group Stage at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, January 4, 2020. /VCG)