Serena Williams has accused authorities of double standards and said that if she had attacked the umpire the way Alexander Zverev did, in Acapulco, she ‘would be in jail’.
After losing in the opening round of doubles, Zverev struck the umpire’s chair multiple times and almost caught the foot of umpire Alessandro Germani.
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The world No 3 was kicked out of the tournament and fined $40,000, but is yet to receive any further sanction.
“There is absolutely a double standard,” Williams said during an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.
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“I would probably be in jail if I did that – like, literally, no joke.”
“You see that [double standard] when you see other things happening on the tour, like, wait – if I had done that? Hmm,’” the 23-time grand slam champion added.
“But it’s okay. At the end of the day I am who I am, and I love who I am.”
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“I was actually on probation once,” Williams added, an apparent reference to her punishment for what the Grand Slam committee called “aggravated behavior” during her 2009 US Open semi-final against the eventual champion, Kim Clijsters.
Williams was placed on probation by the committee for two years – meaning further incidents would lead to suspension –and fined $175,000 for aiming a tirade at a line judge.
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The American great is still one behind Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 titles – but she still believes she can win that elusive 24th slam, and is planning to take part in the French Open in May.
“I should have been at like 30 or 32 [grand slams],” Williams joked.
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“I should have had it [the record], really, I’ve had many opportunities to have it. But I’m not giving up.”
