86. DOUBLE CHECK THE DETAILS

An ITF Fact Sheet

Each and every tournament that it staged on the ITF and WTA/ATP tours, has a Fact Sheet, which players can access in the weeks leading up to the event.

These fact sheets provide details such as the tournament dates (for the qualifying and main draw events, singles and doubles); transport guidelines (nearest airport, station etc); the tournament hotel (not always the cheapest or nicest in the area, but the one that has been selected by the organisers as being convenient); the distance to the tennis club from the hotel; the availability of transport between the site and the tournament hotel; the names and numbers for the key tournament staff (the Tournament Director and Tournament Supervisor); and contacts for Safeguarding issues etc.

Each player is advised to review the fact sheet in advance of the tournament and take guidance from it. She will then make contact with the tournament organisers if she has any queries, using the contact details provided.

However, in some countries, most notably the USA, the tennis federation (in this case the USTA – the United States Tennis Association) has its own Pro Circuit website, and the tournaments organised by the USTA have their own fact sheets. The problem with this is which fact sheet should the players use as their main guide – the WTA/ITF one, or that of the ‘local’ tennis federation, especially in instances where the details provided are conflicting?

This happened recently at a W75 tournament in Florida. On the ITF fact sheet the sign in for the qualifying singles event was listed as 18.00 on 5th May 2024, with the event taking place on the 6th and 7th May. On the USTA Pro Circuit fact sheet however, it stated that the sign in and site access was on Saturday 5th May (when Saturday was actually the 4th), and with the event starting on Sunday 5th May? Confused? So were we! Needless to say, there were lots of messages being sent to and from players and the tournament organisers on Saturday 4th, in an attempt to clarify the situation as players did not want to turn up on the 5th ready to play on the 6th, only to find out that the event had already started.

https://www.usta.com/en/home/pro/pro-tennis-events/usta-womens-competitive-pathway.html

Now you might say, well it’s obvious that you follow the ITF fact sheet but I beg to differ as my player got defaulted from a junior event a few years back for not using the USTA website as her guide – difficult when she didn’t even know that this website even existed (why would she – she is from the UK).

In this instance, the ITF Junior event was being held at the Merrion Cricket Club in Haverford, Pennsylvania. Matches had been interrupted as a result of rain so we had left the site, along with many other players. Unbeknown to us, the matches were moved a few hours later, to another venue (with indoor courts) and when we eventually found this out and turned up, the organiser said my player had been defaulted for not showing up on time – we had gone to the club first expecting to play there only to be told at that point that the venue had changed!

There were two issues with this. Firstly, the change of venue had only been posted on a notice board at the club and on the USTA website – not on the ITF Junior website. And secondly, they told us that they had called us to tell us to come to the new venue but when we asked to see the number they had called, they showed us a number that was not ours – the referee had misread the number and called another player.

My player was not surprisingly pretty upset at all of this – to lose a match is one thing but to be defaulted is another. So now, whenever we are in the US we do try to remember to look at both the ITF and the USTA websites, just in case! It was a tough lesson to learn but learn it we did. So a word of advice to all parents and players out there, regularly check all sources of information. The ITF/WTA/ATP websites should be the correct ones but you just never know – especially if you are playing in the US!

#realitytennis

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85. A JOB LIKE NO OTHER

The job of being a tennis pro is like no other. What other job takes you from playing a match in Chiasso, Switzerland one day to playing another in Charlottesville, USA only 48 hours later? What other job needs you to be not only physically strong, but also mentally tough, tactically aware, super organised, quick thinking and adaptable, and above all, good at handling stress?

In addition to that, what other job cites good decision making, nutrition awareness and negotiation skills amongst its criteria? Oh, and not to forget, public speaking, good listening skills, financial management, strategic planning and creative marketing abilities.

A tennis pro needs to be good at all these things, and more. Many people go to University to learn a lot of these business and more general life skills, but a tennis pro has to learn on the job and by the end of her career, not only has she travelled the world from a young age, and has seen sights and cultures that many might never see, she has also gained an all round education in managing a business (that of herself); she has experienced the world and some might argue, she is infinitely more qualified to carry out many of the jobs that require at the very least, a degree.

Very many tennis pro’s do however have a degree anyway – they either study for that before they start playing on the tour, or else they do it simultaneously (which can be a good way to fill in the time spent on planes, in airports and hotels – so long as the player has the necessary self discipline), or they study post their playing career. This just adds to their list of qualifications for future employment.

So to all employers out there, if you see a former pro tennis player on your list of applicants, don’t disregard them simply because they haven’t gone down the traditional University route and their CV looks different from the ‘norm’. If anything, place them at the top of the pile of suitable candidates. They will have experience and skills that others simply won’t have and will have managed a business; have hired and fired employees (coaches, fitness trainers etc); handled accounts (financial management and domestic, and international, tax payments); worked with lawyers on contracts (sponsorship, managing agents etc); and been responsible for their own personal marketing (social media, brands etc). They are multi talented and extremely able!

I have met so many players on the tour who are super bright and extremely capable. Their playing careers are short by comparison to other jobs and not all want to go into coaching afterwards. Professional tennis playing is a job like no other – multi faceted and one which not only requires a strong and healthy body, but also a sharp mind and a great deal of common sense and adaptability.

#realitytennis

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84. THE 10K CLUB!

When I started Reality Tennis and my associated blogs, I did so for a number of reasons. Firstly because, having travelled with my player on the ITF Junior tour, I had a head filled with so many stories and experiences that I found it quite overwhelming at times and I felt that it would be good to get them down on paper, to maybe free up some brain space for other things.

Secondly, I thought that maybe my experiences could be of use to other parents starting out on a similar journey; parents who, like me, might be travelling with their child, or who might benefit, or find some comfort, from hearing from someone who has been there before.

And finally, I thought my tales of the good, the bad and the reality of life on the pro tour, from a parent’s perspective, might be a entertaining and might also help to raise, at least a little, awareness of the true plight of the players who are trying desperately hard to make it to the top in this brutal sport. The players that the media does not see – the ones battling it out, day in day out, and travelling the globe making little or no money.

To my delight it seems like the blogs have been well received, and to reach 10k views is amazing. To think that my little series of blogs and ramblings have been viewed over 10,000 times by people from all across the globe is somewhat mind blowing. The blogs have been viewed by people in over 60 countries – not only all over Europe, in Australia and the United States; but also in India, China, Aruba, Ukraine, Kenya, Belize, Zambia, Suriname, Russia, Peru, Brazil, Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea and Saudi Arabia, to name just a few.

I am hugely grateful to everyone who has taken the time to have a read and I sincerely hope that this continues. I have more true life stories to tell and more issues to raise awareness of, so please keep popping by and feel free to spread the word. Thank you so much!

#grateful #realitytennis

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83. NO RIGHT TO DEFEND?

Successful title defence but less ranking points so no rise in the rankings 🤬

At the start of this year, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced a new tournament format. Gone are the W25, W40, W60 and the W80 events – replaced now by W35s, W50s and W75s.

Previously the letter/number combination indicated the gender of the tournament and the value of the prize money on offer. So a W25 was a women’s event with a prize pot of $25k (spread across all players). Now however, a W35 means it is a women’s event with a prize pot of $25k and 35 points for the winner.

Why the change? Well that’s a good question and one that I am still trying to find the answer to. Some say it was to put the women’s tournaments in line with the mens. This raises two observations, firstly, why were they different in the first place and secondly, the ITF only has two levels of mens tournaments – M15s and M25s – which haven’t actually changed in line with the women so that rumour is clearly incorrect! On the mens Challenger tour the mens events are indeed at CH50 and CH75 level but these fall within the organisation of the ATP not the ITF so it just doesn’t make sense.

More infuriating however, is the fact that the scale of points at the women’s ITF tournament schedule has been changed. Again, I am not sure why but I question the reasoning behind it.

So last year if a player won a W25 event, she got 50 ranking points. This year however, only 35 points are on offer. Where is the logic in that? 🧐 My player won the doubles at a W60 last year and received 80 points. This year she won the same event (now a W75) but only received 75 points so despite successfully defending her title, she went down in the rankings 🤯. Come on ITF, make it right and fair – please! This new points system has simply made all ITF events so much stronger and harder to gain entry, this year because players are hustling for points, and feel the need to play week in week out in order to recover the points they have lost as a result of the new system.

In more detail:

In 2023: W15 = $15k and 10 points for the winner of singles/doubles; W25 = $25k and 50 points; W40 + $40k and 70 points; W60 = $60k and 80 points; W80 = $80k and 115 points; W100 = $100k and 140 points

In 2024: W15 = $15k and 15 points; W35 = $35k and 35 Points; W50 = $40k and 50 points; W75 = $60k and 75 points; W100 = $100k and 100 points.

So unless you are solely playing W15s, you are playing for less ranking points in 2024 and cannot defend your points from the previous year. Kind of galling for the players who are slogging it out on court trying to rise up the levels. Where is the incentive – you successfully win and defend a title in a tournament but because the ranking points have changed you achieve nothing and in fact, go down.

The WTA does however, have a similar issue. Last year for example, there was a WTA250 event in Monterrey, Mexico in late February/early March. The doubles winners wanted to defend their title this year but could they? No. The event has been moved to later in the year and has been upgraded to a WTA500 event which they are unlikely to get into. Another higher level event for the higher level players – who have an abundance of opportunities already.

I really don’t understand the logic behind the thinking for these issues and just wish the ITF and WTA, in particular, would communicate and work together to help the players, especially the ones fighting the hardest to get to the top. It seems that once you have made it to a certain level that the world is your oyster – life is good and the points and prizes (in terms of sponsorship, funding etc) take care of themselves – but in reality, the majority of players have to battle it out day in, day out, and are at the mercy of the governing bodies, who don’t really seem to understand the impact of their actions. They need to maybe think more about the welfare of all their players as without the players, there is no tour.

#realitytennis

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82: LIFE LONG FRIENDS

The lovely Denise and Mike – Americans living in Germany

One of the nicest things about being on the tennis tour (as a player and as a parent) is that you get to meet a whole host of lovely people, from different countries and different cultures, and all with some kind of interest in tennis.

These may be people like Denise and Mike in Altenkirchen, Germany, who were helping out (voluntarily) with transport and general player well being; or Shayla who was one of the cleaning staff in Cancun, Mexico. She not only cleaned our room everyday, but also helped us squeegee and dry the court after a massive down pour so that practice could take place – what a life saver!

Shayla (right) in Cancun, Mexico

Then there are people like Ricardo in Santiago, Chile, who welcomed us into his home so that we could do some laundry. He then fed us and took us back to our hotel afterwards. A true legend! Laundry and food – the two things that all tennis players love! To add to this, Ricardo then showed up in Melbourne the following year to watch my player play the Australian Open – now that’s dedication for you!

Ricardo!

There are people who have welcomed us into their homes and offered us accommodation too (see Blog 68 – ‘Amazing Hosts’) – we have eaten with their families and they have transported us here, there and everywhere – and others who have got up at the crack of dawn to take us to the airport – all out of the kindness of their hearts. These are special people and tennis brings all these individuals together.

Then there are the players (and their coaches/parents) themselves. What other line of work takes you all over the world and gives you a chance to make life long friends from countries far and wide. My player would most certainly list some of her very best friends as those from countries a long way from the UK. Ok, so she doesn’t see them week in week out but I can guarantee that they are in touch almost daily and, when they do eventually end up at the same tournament together, it is like they have never been apart. When the tennis stops then I am sure some of these friends will drift away but not all – some will be life long buddies without a doubt. One of the nicer realities of the tennis tour life!

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81. SOLE TO SOLE

Different shoes for different surfaces.

The tennis tour is played on a variety of different surfaces – red clay (the ‘dirt”) in Europe and South America; grey/blue clay in the US; hard/acrylic (worldwide); grass (predominantly, although not exclusively, in the UK); and carpet (with and without sand, indoor and outdoor – various places around the world, including Germany, Japan, Italy and Greece). This variety of surfaces has been established for a long time so the players are used to having to adapt throughout the year, especially as each surface requires a slightly different skill set – quite a leveller for some players.

The different surfaces do mean however, that the players need to have a variety of shoe types in their equipment bag. Wear the wrong shoes and you could be in for a challenging time on court! This is most obvious when the grass court season comes around and you sometimes see the ‘newer’ players trying to play on this natural surface whilst wearing clay or hard court shoes. It simply doesn’t work! Visions of Bambi walking on the icy pond come to mind.

The smooth sole of an indoor carpet shoe.

The downside of all these shoes though is cost! Racquets and strings aside, one of the most costly pieces of equipment the mid and lower range tour players have to buy is shoes. Different ones for each surface and many, many pairs at that. The higher level players, with their kit and shoes sponsors do not have this issue, but for players in the mid/lower ranges of the tour, kit and shoes are a costly expense – they don’t come for free! One pair of shoes typically only lasts 3/4 weeks and when you consider that each pair costs in the region of £100 then we are looking at an annual cost for tennis shoes alone, of c.£1200 and trainers, for fitness work, are on top of that. It’s not surprising therefore, that some players wear the same pair of shoes for as long as they can, until literally the soles are worn through.

Mind you, it’s probably a good thing that players change their shoes quite regularly as to be honest, the feet of tennis players are not the best! Not only do they bear the scars and callouses of hours spent on court, but they also have an aroma that is like no other and is hard to shift, so much so that if the soles don’t give way, a new pair of shoes may be required simply because the smell has become too unbearable! Just another example of the reality of life on the tennis tour – sweaty feet and costly shoes!

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80. PLAYERS PARTIES

One of the fun things to go to on the tour, are the players parties. Often held at the start of the week, these are often put on by the tournament organisers and all players and their support teams are invited, as well as sponsors, members of the hosting club, and the officials.

These parties might range from a truck making fresh pizza’s at a $25k event in the USA to a more formal cocktail party on a pontoon on Lake Geneva at the $60k event in Montreux (see picture below), but either way players are encouraged to attend as it not only gives them an opportunity to relax and socialise with other players, but it also gives club members and sponsors a chance to meet the players that they have come to watch.

Not all tournaments offer such an event but many do, especially at the higher level ITF and WTA events. Players are strongly encouraged to attend as not only is it an opportunity for a ‘free meal’ but also it is a way of showing gratitude for all the hard work that has gone into organising the event. I recall one tournament, a $25k event in the USA, when hardly any players at all attended the party. Needless to say, the Tournament Director was none too pleased and called the players together the very next day to express her disappointment and to request that they all sign a card for the party host, apologising for their absence. Perhaps a little bit over the top, but I kind of get her point! The host had put a lot of work into organising a nice evening and very few players had bothered to attend.

On the contrary to this, the reputation of some of the parties go before them and players are only too eager to attend. The one in Båstad, Sweden is a case in point. A fabulous sit down meal with live entertainment – this one was great fun! Likewise the Shrewsbury Club in the UK always puts on a good party – one of the few British players parties that I have come across on my travels – again, good food and some fun competitions and entertainment.

Some of the more affluent venues/club, also put on a free raffle/lucky draw for those in attendance and players have been known to go home with a new iPhone, some expensive toiletries etc so surely it is worth a few hours of a players time to attend? I know however that some players are wary of attending, as they feel they don’t have the necessary attire for such events – after all, how many pro tennis players remember (or have the room) to pack ‘party clothes’ before a trip away. But to be honest, the hosts really don’t mind, and in fact understand, if a player has to turn up wearing casual wear or tennis kit, especially if they were the last match on and have made the effort to come to the party straight from the court!

Obviously at the top level of the WTA tour there are much grander parties that players are invited to. I haven’t had the pleasure of attending one of these as yet, but maybe one day, who knows!

Venue for the Players Party at Montreux – Lake Geneva

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79. SETTING THE SCENE – FINALS DAY

Finals Day has arrived and your player is still in the tournament. The schedule is set. Play starts at 12.00 Noon. But before then there is a lot to be done! The players want to practice. The tournament organisers need to prepare the court. If the tournament is on a hard court then this can all be done at the same time. The players practice whilst the organisers set up chairs; make sure the PA system is working; check that all sponsors signs are up and visible; prizes are ready; ball kids have turned up and are looking smart; the scoreboard and live stream systems are all working; and so the list goes on. Slightly more tricky if the tournament is being played on clay as the court has to be ‘dressed’ – the clay ‘dragged’, additional clay added if needed, lines swept and the surface watered. In this instance, practice takes place on a different court or much earlier to allow time for the groundsmen to do their work. Either way, a lot of work goes into preparing the stage for the main event, even at the lower level tour events. After all, this is what the whole week has been leading up to and the organisers want to put on a good show!

Even whilst the final is being played, the organisers are still busying themselves getting the sponsor board (backdrop) ready for photos and the table of prizes in place. Then as soon as the last ball is hit, the staff kick into action. The ball kids start to line up in pre organised places, along with the line judges. The Tournament Director takes to the stage and then the speeches begin!

More often that not the speeches are in English but on occasions, especially when in the Far East, South America and some parts of Europe, the host will speak in their local language and the players have little idea what is being said, but just have to wait to hear their name as a cue to go up to shake the hand of the organisers and (hopefully – but not always) receive a trophy or some kind of memento of the event. Sometimes, especially at the higher level events and if there is a large crowd, the players will be handed the microphone and asked to say a few words. So players need to be prepared!

If you have ever watched any of the speeches given by tennis players they are all pretty standard and very similar. They all thank the sponsors and the organisers (always a good idea). They thank the ball kids and the crowd for coming out. They praise their opponents and their respective team(s), their partner (in the case of doubles), and they thank their own supporters/coaches. Occasionally a player will actually speak in the local language and that always goes down well and is really appreciated! I guess in reality there is not much else you can say but it does amuse me that all players seem to follow an identical script! But at the end of the day thanking the organisers is essential however it is said, as without them the tournament would not happen in the first place. A lot of work goes into each event, long before the tournament even starts and the players are well advised to acknowledge that!

#alwaysgrateful

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78. NOT ANOTHER TAKE AWAY?

Elite athletes typically like to eat clean. Good wholesome food – a few carbs, lots of protein and plenty of fresh fruit and veg. Makes sense right? Then why do the tennis organisers very frequently, accommodate players in hotels with no, or very limited catering, and in locations that are far away from affordable restaurants or food outlets. As a result, the large majority of players (at least on the ITF Tour) have to survive on fast food offerings or expensive items from food delivery companies (UberEats, Deliveroo etc) and have to eat out of a box, often on their own in their rooms.

The occasional meal out of a box can be fine – a nice POKE Bowl or box of sushi, but every night for two or three weeks is tough and not to mention, expensive and extremely repetitive. Add into the mix any food allergies or intolerances and a player is in difficulties. I know a number of players and support team staff (myself included), who are coeliac sufferers and to try and find a meal that is safe is neigh on impossible when the tournament fails to consider food suppliers when selecting a tournament hotel location. Such players/staff have to live off ‘bars’ brought from home and anything they can find in the local supermarket, which in some countries can be very hit and miss, particularly if there is a language barrier (try finding gluten free food in South Korea!). There is one tournament in France, which is staged every year and the only ‘restaurant’ nearby is a McDonalds. Far from ideal for athletes, and the venue is so remote that delivery companies haven’t yet made it to this location. It is so poor that players go to this competition once and never return. Surely the ITF has to have minimum standards for food provision?

Then there is the issue of whether or not the food that is on offer is ‘safe’. Players are regularly advised not to eat red meat in South America as many farmers and meat producers feed their animals certain drugs, which if ingested by humans and then detected during routine drug tests, can result in a ban from competition and the end of a career. Organisers need to be aware and try to help players find suitable food sources and meals. At the WTA level, there are players restaurants and food is often cooked fresh and to order. All food related allergies etc are catered for. Now to ask this of all the ITF events would of course be deemed unreasonable but surely one of the criteria for tournaments has to be that either nutritionally balanced meals are provided or else at least two or three suitable restaurants are located nearby so that players can refuel after matches and be ready to play again the next day. You cannot expect elite athletes to be able to perform to their best level on a diet of fast food or salad bowls. But at the moment, that is the reality at some of the tour level competitions.

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77. CLEAN CLOTHES PLEASE!

Tennis players are constantly on the move and there is a limit to the amount of kit they can carry so one of the most frequently asked questions at tournament venues (speaking solely from experience of womens events), is ‘where is the nearest laundrette?’ Unlike the players at the top end of the tennis tour, the majority of players cannot afford to get their kit laundered at their hotel and to be honest, not many 2/3 * hotels offer such a service anyway, so it is the local laundrette that gets the custom!

If the tournament is in a hot country and the accommodation has a balcony then some players will choose to wash their own clothes and hang them out to dry, but if there is a laundry nearby then that’s where you will find many players during their time off court. It’s a sharp learning curve for players who are new to the tour with many having to visit a laundrette for the first time in their lives, but it soon becomes a routine exercise during each tournament week – find a laundry then sit and watch the washing go round for a couple of hours! After all, there is a limit to the amount of clothes you can pack and the number of times kit can be worn before a wash is required – especially during the clay court swing when kit gets very dusty and stained as well as sweaty!

Some tournaments (typically on the WTA tour) offer a laundry service which is usually quite affordable. The players bring their bag of dirty kit to the club and it is returned next day clean and fresh smelling. On the ITF tour however, there is no such luxury and it is either hand washing, or a local laundrette or laundry service. The players do however, take a risk as it is not guaranteed that all the kit will come back or if it does, not all the kit that is returned may belong to the player concerned, as let’s face it, the person who does the laundry has no clue what belongs to who! So a detailed list of the items handed in is always advised! If the player does do the laundry themselves then try and spot the rookie who has put all the kit in together (colours and whites) and has ended up with a lot of light grey or pastel pink socks, or the player who didn’t read the care label and has to wear kit several sizes too small as a consequence of using a tumble drier that was too hot!

This is the reality – life on tour is not all nice hotels and people doing all your chores for you – laundry is high up there on the weekly task list before a player moves on to the next competition and is another cost item to be included on the extensive budget sheet.

Laverie – Grenoble Style!

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