Serena Williams has said that she would have faced harsher punishment had she behaved in a similar way to Alexander Zverev's recent outburst.
The German star repeatedly smashed his racket against the umpire's chair following a doubles defeat at the Mexican Open in Acapulco last month.
He was then kicked out of the event for unsportsmanlike conduct and fined USD$40,000 (AUD$54,000).
Speaking in an interview with CNN, twenty-three-time grand slam champion Williams called out the disparity in punishments for female and male tennis players.
"There is absolutely a double standard," Williams said.
"I would probably be in jail if I did that - like, literally, no joke.
"I was actually on probation once."
Williams was fined USD$175,000 (AUD$237,000) and placed on probation for two years in 2009 after she verbally abused a line judge in her US Open semi-final against eventual champion Kim Clijsters.
"You see that (double standard) when you see other things happening on the tour, like, 'wait - if I had done that? Hmm,'" she said.
"But it's okay.
"At the end of the day I am who I am and I love who I am."
Williams is yet to retire, and is only one Grand Slam victory behind Margaret Court's record of 24 titles.
The 40-year-old last played a competitive match in July last year, but still believes she can make more history.
“I should have been at like 30 or 32 [grand slams],” she said.
“I should have had it [the record], really, I’ve had many opportunities to have it.
"But I’m not giving up.”
