Meet Mischa and Alexander Zverev
Two German brothers have taken the tennis world by storm with their performances at the Australian Open. But with the sport playing a major role in their family history, it should not have come as a surprise to anyone.
Brothers in the big-time
Alexander (pictured left) and Mischa Zverev are the first German brothers to appear together at a Grand Slam tennis tournament. While 19-year-old Alexander "Sascha" Zverev is currently the youngest player in the top 50 of the world rankings (No. 24), Mischa has only just returned following injury (No. 50).
Major upset
Mischa caused one of the biggest shocks at the 2017 Australian Open,beating world No. 1 Andy Murray in the fourth round. Just two years ago, Zverev was ranked outside of the top 1,000 after several injuries, but has fought his way back with an attacking style that brought him his headline-grabbing win.
Emerging from the shadows
Meanwhile, Alexander bowed out in the third round in Melbourne after being edged out by former champion Rafael Nadal. Alexander had taken a two-sets-to-one lead and his performance seemed to confirm Nadal's assessment that the teenager is a future world No 1.
That winning feeling (Part 1)
Alexander already has first-hand experience of lifting trophies. In 2014, he claimed the junior title at the Australian Open, defeating Stefan Kozlov in the final. His progress in the senior game has shown that it should be a taste of things to come.
That winning feeling (Part 2)
Having reached the final in tournaments in Nice and Halle in 2016, Alexander rounded off the season with his first ATP trophy. In late September, he defeated Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka to secure victory in the St. Petersburg Open.
A family affair
The young Alexander (pictured front-left with Mischa), was born into a tennis-mad family. Parents Irena and Alexander Zeverev Sr. (pictured back row) are both former players. Alexander Sr. was a member of the Soviet Union's Davis Cup side and now works as his Alexander's coach.
Solid support network
Although the family now resides in Monte Carlo, they have retained a base in their adopted hometown of Hamburg in Germany as well as in Florida. The Zverev's parents follow their offspring around the world and the tight family unit has been a major factor in their success.
Instant impression
Fellow German tennis star Andrea Petkovic is already a confirmed fan. After the pair played as mixed doubles partners at the Hopman Cup, Petkovic (pictured congratulating Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic) wrote that Alexander could also work as a model!
Lucky omen?
But, Alexander also showed how stylish he can be on the court at the Hopman Cup. In his singles match at the team competition, he beat Swiss superstar Roger Federer ... who just happens to Mischa's opponent in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.