Cape Town - Twenty-three time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams said she would have faced far harsher punishment had she engaged in similar behavior to German Alexander Zverev, who was thrown out of a tournament last month for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The world number three was kicked out of the ATP 500 event in Acapulco after he smashed his racket repeatedly against the umpire's chair after a doubles defeat.
ALSO READ: Alex Zverev's expulsion from Acapulco Open for violent outburst merited, says Rafa Nadal
Zverev was later fined $40,000 for the incident, in which he came perilously close to hitting umpire Alessandro Germani.
"There is absolutely a double standard," former world number one Williams told CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour. "I would probably be in jail if I did that - like, literally, no joke.
Serena Williams was asked on CNN about Zverev attacking the umpire in Acapulco:
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) March 4, 2022
“There is absolutely a double standard. I would probably be in jail if I did that. Like, literally, no joke.”
(Still no word from ATP on their “review” of the incident.)
pic.twitter.com/vzSNTcXU0j
"I was actually on probation once," she added, but declined with a chuckle to discuss further when Amanpour inquired about the incident.
In 2009, the Grand Slam committee placed Williams on probation for two years and fined her $175,000 for a "major offence of aggravated behavior" during her semi-final against eventual champion Kim Clijsters at the U.S. Open.
Alexander Zverev has been THROWN OUT of the Mexican Open for attacking the umpire's chair at the end of his doubles match 😮😮😮 pic.twitter.com/CWhQ1r6kwj
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) February 23, 2022
"You see that (double standard) when you see other things happening on the tour, like, 'wait - if I had done that? Hmm,'" said Williams. "But it's okay.
At the end of the day I am who I am and I love who I am."
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Ken Ferris)