Melbourne (AFP)
Alexander Zverev, 7th in the world, announced on Tuesday that he would pay $ 10,000 per victory and even the full amount of his bonus if he won the Australian Open to fight the fires ravaging the country.
"I will give $ 10,000 per victory. I know I am not the favorite to win the tournament, but if I win I will pay my bonus down to the last penny" for the firefighting, promised the German to the public of the Rod Laver Arena where he had just qualified for the 2nd round by beating the Italian Marco Cecchinato (77th) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) 6-3.
The bonus for the winner of the tournament final is 4.12 million Australian dollars (2.55 million euros), but Zverev did not say whether he was talking about US or Australian dollars.
The 22-year-old, promised a huge future for several seasons but who has not yet really materialized these hopes with a Grand Slam title, will face in the 2nd round the Norwegian Casper Ruud (48th) or the Belarusian Egor Gerasimov (98th ).
© 2020 AFP