"I get fined 50% of my prize money" - Alexander Zverev's brother Mischa reveals brutal truth about how players' health is not protected at Grand Slams

Alexander Zverev's brother and former ATP pro Mischa Zverev recently took umbrage at the official tennis governing bodies for their apparent disregard for players' health. The German also recounted how he was $45,000 for retiring midway through his first-round match at the 2018 Australian Open despite being told by the tournament doctor that he could play on.

Having turned pro in 2005, the elder Zverev brother enjoyed his career-best season on the ATP Tour in 2017 when he reached the Australian Open quarterfinals and peaked at 25th in the singles rankings. He arrived the following year in Melbourne carrying a viral illness, which led to him conferring with the doctor on-site.

In his recent appearance on the Courtside Capital podcast, Mischa Zverev revealed that he was told by the tournament doctor that he should "at least attempt to play" his first-round match against Hyeon Chung. Unfortunately, the then-World No. 35 couldn't continue the match after the first 48 minutes, surrendering it 2-6. 1-4. After his loss, the 38-year-old was told by the tournament supervisor that 50% of his prize money, which amounted to $45,000, would be cut from his paycheque for playing below professional standards.

"I flew to Australia. I have a fever, I go see the tournament doctor... 'I have a fever, I have a match. What am I supposed to do?' The doctor is like, 'There's some medication, take it, it should reduce your fever. You should be able to play.' I'm like, 'Am I okay to play?' He's like, 'Yeah, take the meds, 30 minutes before going on, you are okay to play, at least attempt to play,'" Alexander Zverev's brother Mischa remembered while talking to Courtside Capital this week. "I'm like, 'Okay, I'm gonna do it.' I go on court, I play second set after, whatever, I retire because I get dizzy. I get fined 50% of my prize money."

Alexander Zverev's elder brother further added that the tournament supervisor and the doctors' opinions on players' health was drastically different.

"I'm like, 'Why that?' Because the supervisor said, 'Well, you knew you weren't fit. I'm like, 'Yes, but the doctor told me I can play.' If the doctor would have said, 'Don't play, you're not allowed,' then it's fine," he added. "[He says], 'Yeah, but you shouldn't listen to the tournament doctor. You're responsible for knowing whether you're fit or not.'"

Coincidentally, Chung went on to defeat Alexander Zverev in the third round of the 2018 Australian Open, downing him 5-7, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0. The South Korean then defeated a physically struggling Novak Djokovic in straight sets before getting the better of USA's Tennys Sandgren to reach his maiden Major semifinals.

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Alexander Zverev's brother Mischa gets real about ITF: "The governing body doesn't even care honestly"

Back then, the new rules from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) stated that any pros who didn't turn in a passable level of effort in their first-round losses would be fined 50% of their prize money. Alexander Zverev's brother Mischa, who was the only ATP player to retire in the 2018 Australian Open first round, was absolutely befuddled by the above rule as he critiqued the official tennis governing body.

"I'm like, 'This is unbelievable!' For 12 months, I'm working my butt off to be here. And now I have a fever. Yes, I'm not feeling great," Alexander Zverev's brother said. "And now you take away basically what's mine. It wasn't even the tournament, it was the ITF. The governing body doesn't even care honestly."

While the former World No. 25 didn't have a formal retirement ceremony, he is done with pro tennis for all intents and purposes if his recent hiring by Eurosport is anything to go by.