Tennis has been blessed with many iconic sibling pairs. From the likes of Serena and Venus Williams to the Bryan brothers, we have seen it all. However, there has been a sibling pair which preferred remaining low-key. It is the German pair of Mischa and Alexander Zverev. While the former has called it quits in tennis, the younger Zverev is still going strong and achieved a career-best ranking of 2. After a hectic 2024 season for Zverev, he sat down with his mother and brother in a candid podcast.

While Mischa is 37 years old, his brother is 10 years younger than him. As a result, there were quite some differences in how the two were brought up. Although both brothers shared one common passion for tennis, they had different ways to pursue the sport. During the AbisZ Podcast, Zverev’s mother unearthed some hilarious secrets about the two.

In one of the conversations, Alexander Zverev asked his mother who was more complicated growing up between the two. Zverev’s mother, Irina, laughed and said, “Mischa was easier, I have to say because he was very disciplined. Sascha was creative. He went for a run, he ran so fast. But of course, he was using a fountain to make his shirt wet.”

Zverev and his mother share a strong bond and she even coached her children in tennis. During an interview once, Zverev credited his mother in turning him the player that he has become today, saying, “My mother has always been an inspiration, always did everything for us, for my brother, for myself, coached me from a young age. She did everything possible to make us the tennis players, and the people that we are today.”  

After ending the years as World Number 2, Alexander Zverev isn’t content yet and is aiming for the sky. He is looking to take cues from his brother to reach his ultimate target.

Alexander Zverev not playing like his brother yet

Zverev has always looked up to his elder brother Mischa to excel in tennis. Although the younger Zverev has been more successful of the two, it is Mischa whose advice turns out to be valuable for Zverev. As a result, after finishing the year as second-best, the 27-year-old is looking to take inspiration from Mischa Zverev.

Talking about this, he said, “I’m not playing like my brother yet. That’s why I’m not No. 1 in the world, but No. 2. I still have something to improve for next year. Hopefully I can do that. You have to ask him what he was trying to show me. I went to my dad to keep it more simple. He told me to step back on the second serve return, which was a great suggestion compared to my brother, who was throwing me 48 different sign languages and signs, which I didn’t understand a single one of, yeah.”

Meanwhile, Zverev has already confirmed his participation at next year’s Australian Open. Can he win his maiden Grand Slam title next season? Let us know your views in the comments below.