Reality Tennis

139. DON’T DRINK THE WATER!

Hurghada, Egypt. Photo credit: Sally Appleton

Some of the tournament locations and venues on the pro tennis tour are fabulous. Some are fairly average but bearable. But there are others that really should only be visited as a last resort, for the majority of players at least! I am thinking in particular of the tournaments in Egypt; Tunisia; and some of the more remote venues in India and Africa.

My reasons for saying this come from personal experience of many of these venues and from reports back from other players/coaches. But sometimes there is simply no alternative and a player has to go wherever they can, and hope for the best.

This happened to us only recently. The tournaments on offer in Europe during the week in question were ‘heavily stacked,’ full of high level players who were en route to Asia. This meant that pretty much the only option for my player was Hurghada, Egypt if she was to play at all. Despite vowing never to return to Egypt (specifically Sharm El-Sheikh and Cairo), the tournament venue in Hurghada was relatively new so we decided to give it a go, and to give the country another chance.

Well, for starters, neither of us had remembered that Egypt is in fact, a very long way from the UK. Five and a half hours away to be exact. Much further than we had recalled. This meant that the flights were more expensive than we had budgeted for – not an ideal start.

On landing at Hurghada International Airport, we were immediately reminded of the endless scams that operate in countries like Egypt. As you walk towards the immigration counters you are advised that all visitors are required to purchase a visa on arrival. The price is US$30 but you can quite easily end up paying far more! First tip (Tip 1) – take US$ cash with you if you don’t want to be charged extortionate credit/currency card fees on top of the visa fee. Second tip (Tip 2), make sure you only pay US$30. Some of the counters were charging US$35 or more but the fee is only US$30 so look for another counter!

Transport to the hotel was the next issue. Public transport is not really a thing for tourists in Egypt so we had pre booked a taxi to take us to the hotel. Tip 3 – sort your transport before you land, including the price, otherwise you will almost certainly be ripped off.

The drive to the tournament hotel took just under an hour – in the dark as the majority of incoming flights land at night. The driving in Egypt is chaotic and hair raising, with no guaranteed seat belts for safety. Tip 4 – stay awake and watch the road!

The hotel for the tournament was a pleasant surprise. Newly built and located immediately adjacent to the tennis courts (as discovered in the early morning when we were woken by the sound of ball against strings). The light of day revealed however, that we were located literally in the middle of nowhere. Nothing but sand all around us – so very little to do when not playing tennis. Tip 5 – take a good book!

The heat in Egypt is intense – dry as opposed to humid – and it is typically quite windy. Hurghada was no exception to this so players need to be prepared to sweat. Tip 6 – take lots of hydration tablets and plenty of spare match kit as a change will almost certainly be mid mid match. Even the officials found the heat too much – one passed out behind my player just as she was about to serve. The poor lady was ‘cooked’ – but thankfully she was taken inside and recovered quite quickly.

One of the main issues with these all inclusive, resort venues is the food and water and all visitors need to be super careful when eating and drinking. During the week we were there, there were 17 tournament withdrawals (men and women) as a result of food poisoning/stomach upsets. The week before this, the figure was much higher at 28! The food is often left out for hours in the heat; the water is not safe to drink; and sometimes, the meat is undercooked. Tip 7 – drink only bottled water; do not have ice in drinks; do not eat salad; and be super vigilant with the meat – all common sense really. We ate simply – eggs, cooked vegetables, bread, rice – and survived! We also avoided the swimming pool – which to be fair, almost everyone did. It looked very inviting but pools in countries like Egypt can be a source of all kinds of water based bacteria if not kept clean and suitably treated with chemicals.

The tournament itself was organised ok. However, there were no new balls for practice and the organisers were asking for US$$s as a deposit (for poor quality used balls). The amount of money for the deposit varied enormously depending on who was on the desk and it wasn’t 100% clear that the deposit was ever going to be returned. Tip 8 – pay the deposit if you have to but if not given a receipt then take a photo of the list (if there is one) so that you can prove that you paid. They weren’t happy when I did this but at least it meant that I had ‘proof of purchase’!

Finally, at this particular tournament, and somewhat disconcerting, was the fact that the line judges were being trained on site only a few hours before the matches began. Surely pro level tournaments should be guaranteed officials with at least some experience. There were some in Hurghada who had clearly never worked on the lines before. As a result, there were some very questionable calls and the players had to handle this as best they could.

Line Judge Training. Photo credit: Sally Appleton

My player and I survived the week in Hurghada but I am not sure we will return. Whilst the hotel was nice and the courts ok, there was always the fear of getting food poisoning and being ‘taken for a ride’ as obvious tourists. However, I think I would rather go there than the newest venue that is on the WTA calendar – that being Luanda, Angola – not for the feint hearted in my opinion. Already players who are considering entering the event have been advised to get vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B, Yellow Fever, Diphtheria, Tetanus, to name just a few and the British Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel there as it is deemed to be very unsafe. This begs the question, why is the WTA staging a tournament in such a location?

#realitytennis

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138. REALITY CHECK

When I started writing these blogs, back in 2022, I wrote one on the financial reality of playing on the pro tennis tour – see link below – and how tough it can be on a player’s pocket. Not surprisingly, four years on, times have changed, and so too has the reality of playing professional tennis, and it hasn’t got any easier. Not only have all the related costs gone up astronomically, but other factors now come into play, which have affected players income. It’s no longer just about prize money and endorsements. If the players want to try and generate an income to help pay for their chosen pro athlete career, they now also need to find other sources of income, including becoming “influencers,” as more often than not nowadays, sponsoring companies want a slice of a player’s social media following, as well as their general presence in society. But not all pro players want that social media exposure, and not all players are natural experts at ‘creating content,’ so many are losing out on this current trend and are having to seek a supplementary income from elsewhere.

For sure, at the top level, life is rosy. Prize money at the Grand Slams and the high level Challenger events, has increased massively – the singles winners of the US Open for example, are each taking home $5.5M, but for the majority of players, the financial situation has become much tougher and a pro’s ability to ‘make a living’ out of playing the sport they love, is becoming increasingly difficult, and in some cases, almost impossible.

Coaches fees have risen to c.$2k-3k per week (£1500-£2k) for the mid range player. Travel costs have gone through the roof as a result of increases in fuel charges. Accommodation costs have gone up and just general living expenses have risen exponentially. As a result, the majority of players are finding it almost impossible to survive on the tour. As an example, only last week, my player made it to the singles semi final of a World Tennis pro event. Her gross prize money for getting that far was £567 (before tax). Her costs to get there and back, stay in a low level hotel, and eat minimally were c.£1,600. You do the maths! Was it worth it? Probably not, but she was seeking ranking points.

So what are the alternatives if you are not one of the top level players or one whose social media following attracts ‘big time’ collaborations? More and more players are supplementing their income by coaching or playing money events, the latter of which can be lucrative for the better players. But the downside is that these events offer zero ranking points for the pro tour, so whilst players may manage to win some money, (in some cases more than they would at a World Tennis tournament), they get no recognition of this in terms of their ranking position on the tour, so their plight to make it to the higher level tour events (which offer bigger rewards) are thwarted. As a consequence, many players ‘retire’ – earlier than they probably could/should – many disillusioned by the system and many mentally burnt out. But the reality is, there are hundreds of younger players coming through from all over the world, treading the same path, trying to reach the top, and it is these who will simply replace the ones who leave the tour, at least until they themselves realise the enormity of the journey ahead.

So in effect, the lower/mid level players just become fodder for the elite players at the top. The majority of lower/mid level players simply cannot get to the top level – often not because of a lack of talent, more so because of a lack of finance and affordable opportunities.

Another alternative source of income, almost predominantly (but not entirely) for female tennis pros, is the likes of businesses such as ‘Only Fans’. There are many players on the women’s tour who have Only Fans accounts to supplement their income. I find this quite sad but I fully understand their plight. This really is a reflection of the women’s tour, which we all know lacks the financial and spectator support that the men’s game enjoys – sadly a fact of life at the moment.

And finally, a new form of income has emerged in the past couple of years, which provides some explanation as to why there has been an increase in the number of female players heading to US College, as opposed to going straight onto the pro tour after leaving school. A few years back, college athletes were bound by very strict NCAA rules about money earned from their sport. There was a specified amount that a pro tennis player, for example, could earn from playing – approximately c.$10k about 10 years ago – above this they were not deemed to be ‘amateurs’ (a pre requisite for college athletes). Now however, players are actually being ‘paid’ to go to a US College. They are being given huge financial incentives to sign up and they are allowed to earn significant money from ‘Name, Image and Likeness (NIL)’ endorsements, as well as from prize money and some direct university revenue sharing schemes. These players have it made! They can study and play and be paid at the same time. No wonder so many, especially British players, are signing up! But spare a thought for those whose college years have passed. They do not benefit from these changes to the NCAA rules – hence why so many are thinking about throwing in the towel and seeking a more regular form of income away from the hit and miss (excuse the pun) of the pro tennis tour. #realitytennis

https://realitytennis.wordpress.com/2022/04/07/the-other-side-of-the-coin/

135. A BROKEN SYSTEM

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137. HAPPY BIRTHDAY?

Being at work on your birthday is common place but being on the pro tennis tour, in a venue that is in the back of beyond, surrounded by your competitors as opposed to your friends and family, is another matter. It’s hard and the day can be lonely and sad.

It’s fine for the top level players who get spoiled by tournament organisers and sponsors but for those players grinding it out on the mid/lower levels, it isn’t easy to spend what should be your special day, away from home in a foreign country, and with relative strangers. Players who you deem to be your ‘friends’ off court, become your opponents during a tournament and, certainly on the women’s side of the game, friendships can be tested, even on occasions such as birthdays. Players don’t always want to go out socially with someone the night before they play them in a match. But likewise, elite athletes are not known for their ‘party-like’ celebrations mid competition – meals tend to remain healthy at least until the tournament is over, and alcohol is pretty much off limits!

I am lucky in that I have had the chance to spend the day with my player on her birthday for as long as I can remember, so at least she has had one family member with her, but for many players on the tour, this is not the case and their special day goes by almost unnoticed. This year, we spent the day in Poland at a tennis centre/venue which is far from any town, so going out to somewhere ‘nice’ to celebrate was challenging. Also there was a match to play which, thankfully, she won! A loss is always hard to face but on your birthday would be pretty brutal.

#realitytennis

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136. ACCOUNTING NIGHTMARE!

Unlike the majority of working people, pro tennis players get paid in a variety of currencies – most typically British Pounds, US Dollars and Euros – but they can also be paid in Swedish Krona, Swiss Francs, Argentinian Pesos to name just a few. It all depends on the tournament level and the organisation hosting the event. They are also paid by cash, cheque or bank transfer, but generally speaking the higher the level of the event, the more likely the payment will be electronic.

As I have mentioned in earlier blogs (see links below), one of the sensible things to do has been for the player to have the money paid into a bank account of the same currency and up until now, that has been a good way of dealing with the different currencies and has helped reduce bank charges for foreign currency deposits, and also with money being lost due to exchange rate fluctuations. But now with the introduction of ‘Making Tax Digital’ in the UK at least, the fact that pro players are paid in multiple currencies has introduced another headache, especially for those who do the book keeping!

As of April 6th this year (2026), ‘Making Tax Digital (MTD)’ for income tax has come into play for sole traders with an annual turnover (not profit!) of over £50,000. This mandatory system requires digital record-keeping, the submission of quarterly updates, and a final year end declaration via HMRC-compatible software. Pro players who are registered as Limited Companies (usually the players in the higher income bracket) are excluded from this new MTD requirement at the moment, at least.

The fact that the tax system is going digital is, in my opinion, a good idea, or so it seems, but two issues have already come to the fore for me, in my plight to adopt this new way of working.

Firstly, you have to purchase one of several HMRC approved software systems which are supposed to help you record the players expenditure, and reconcile it with her bank account(s). Sounds simple but unless you are a trained accountant/book keeper who has had prior knowledge of financial software packages, then the introduction of this new way of thinking and recording can be quite daunting and for many, it will be extremely challenging. I have taken it on as a new learning experience – a new skill – albeit a little later in life than many!

The second issue I have with this new accounting method is the multiple currencies. How many other workers get paid in multiple currencies and have multiple bank accounts. For sure, the software package I have purchased does offer a multiple currency option but the monthly/annual subscription for that element is unaffordable for players at the mid/lower levels so what do you do?

To illustrate the complexities of a tennis pro’s income, let me share an example from a recent tournament in Bogota, Colombia. My player bought her flight to Colombia whilst in the UK and paid for it in British Pounds from her UK bank account. Whilst at the tournament, she paid for meals etc in Colombia Peso’s via a currency card. At the end of the tournament, she purchased a flight to the US and paid for this in US dollars from her US bank account. Her prize money, less Colombian Tax and stringing fees, was paid via a bank transfer in US dollars.

Some might say the easiest thing to do is for the player to open an account which offers multiple currency exchanges, and this is something my player does have, but there are occasions when it is more financially sensible to leave money in dollars for example (especially when paid in cash), rather than trying to deposit it into a sterling account or converting it into pounds, when the exchange rate on the day is less than favourable.

Recording all of this is tricky and far from straightforward so be warned if your player is about to embark on the tour, and you have volunteered to do her book keeping (to save on accountants fees)! It’s challenging if you are not mathematically minded or have very limited experience of monitoring cash flow and expenditure then maybe consider getting specialist help, as every penny counts with tennis pro’s and nothing is ever that simple!

#realitytennis

121. TAX SPECIALIST?

13. TAX AND THE TENNIS PLAYER!

2. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN

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135. A BROKEN SYSTEM

This IS the reality.

When people ask about prize money on the pro tennis tour, I think the majority of those ‘outside of the game’, think that it is equal for the men and women players. But this is SO far from the truth. Yes, of course at the Grand Slam level, the prize money is equal and all credit for this must go to the great Billie Jean King (BJK) and the ‘Original 9″, made up of BJK, Rosie Casals, Nancy Richey, Judy Tegart Dalton, Kerry Melville Reid, Peaches Bartkowicz, Kristy Pigeon, Valerie Ziegenfuss, and Julie Heldman.

But, the reality is this. The Grand Slams (and some of the 1000 events) are pretty much the ONLY tournaments where the prize money/financial support is indeed equal for the two sexes. It’s certainly not the case elsewhere on the tour, and most definitely isn’t on the ITF tour.

At the lowest level – the $15K and $25K/35K events on the ITF tour, the prize money given to the men and women is almost on a par. In fact, the winner of the women’s singles earns slightly more – and when I say “slightly,’ I am talking about less than $200!

However, as a player moves up the rankings and starts to play the higher level tournaments, this is where the disparity really kicks in and it appears that no one is really talking about it, and certainly not doing anything about it! Maybe this is because the players are largely unaware of what their opposite sex is being paid, as the majority of tournaments are held in different geographical locations, or maybe it’s because the ATP (the governing body for the mens tour) make it very hard to actually find the prize money details on their website!

So here are some examples (based upon 2026 figures to date).

The first signs of real prize money inequality is seen at the ITF/Challenger 50 events where the winner of the women’s singles competition receives $6,260 gross. The winner of the mens equivalent event however, receives $9,500 gross (a difference of $3,240). And to make matters worse, and the disparity even greater, the men players have their accommodation/hospitality paid for. The women do not. This item is a personal expense.

Moving up to the ITF/Challenger 75 level and we see the gender pay gap increase further. The women’s singles winner of an ITF W75 event takes home $9,142 gross. The men’s winner gets $17,000 gross (a difference of $7,858). Hospitality in this instance, is provided by both the mens and women’s tournament organisers, but transport for the women is not guaranteed and there is no hospitality for women players who are in the qualifying competition (there is for the men).

At the ITF/Challenger 100 events, the pay gap extends even further. The singles winner of a women’s tournament receives $15,239 gross. The men’s equivalent gets $27,523 gross. A difference of $12,284. Mind blowing!

All of the above mentioned tournaments for the women are organised by the ITF. For the men, challenger events are staged by the ATP.

When the players move up to the 125 level, the WTA takes on the hosting of the women’s tournaments, although it doesn’t really recognise this level and fails to include titles won at this level in players’ profiles. This begs the question, ‘Why?’ – if an event is designated a WTA tournament, a title win should be acknowledged on the WTA website. WTA 125 events are not even included in the WTA calendar (they are separated out) – apparently ‘not worthy’ of inclusion.

The singles winner of a WTA 125 tournament grosses $15,500 – only marginally more than an ITF 100 event. The mens CH 125 singles winner however, receives $36,372 (gross) – $20,872 more than the woman who has won the singles event.

And it gets worse! In summary:

WTA 250 singles winner (Bogota): $37,390 gross; ATP 250 singles winner (Buenos Aires): $102,715 gross. A difference of $65,325.

WTA 500 singles winner (Ningbo): $164,000 gross; ATP 500 singles winner (Dallas): $529,945 gross. Difference: $365,945.

And here’s an interesting one from recently:

WTA 1000 in Dubai, the winner received $665,000 gross. The men’s event had the same prize money but was only designated an ATP 500 event. The equivalent WTA 500 event in Ningbo, China awarded the women’s singles winner $164,000 – a difference of over $500,000! Read that again – a difference of over half a million dollars!

Once a player reaches the 1000 level the prize money does level out (although not always) and at the Grand Slams the prize money is the same (thank you BJK). However, there is the age old argument at the Slams that the women players should be playing the best of 5 sets to justify this. But when you consider the prize money lower down the levels then maybe the best of three sets is justified as an element of ‘pay back’.

The picture for doubles players is equally as bad, if not worse. The prize money disparity is there and to add insult to it all, the prize money has to be shared by the two players.

Some figures to illustrate this:

ITF 15 women’s doubles winner: $477 gross (per player); ITF 15 mens doubles winner: $465 gross (per player). Not even enough to cover travel to the tournament.

It is worth noting here that all the figures included in this blog are of course before any foreign tax is taken off – which can be as much as 30%. Likewise all the figures included relate to the WINNER of the events in question. Spare a thought for those players who lost in the early rounds and went home with a gross income as low as $15 and a guaranteed loss of several hundreds of dollars.

ITF 35 women’s doubles winner: $881 gross (per player); ITF 25 mens doubles winner: $891 gross (per player). Might just cover travel to the venue and some food, but no accommodation.

ITF 50 women’s doubles winner : $1,147 gross (per player); CH 50 mens doubles winner: $1,490 gross (per player). A difference of $343.

ITF 75 women’s doubles winner: $1,672 gross (per player); CH 75 mens doubles winner: $2,490 gross (per player). A difference of $818.

ITF 100 women’s doubles winner: $2,786 gross (per player); CH 100 mens doubles winner: $8,367 gross (per player). A difference of $5,581.

WTA 125 women’s doubles winner: $3,000 gross (per player); CH 125 mens doubles winner: $10,696 gross (per player). A difference of $7,696.

WTA 250 doubles winner: $6,800 gross (per player); ATP 250 doubles winner: $17,860 gross. (per player). A difference of $11,060.

WTA500 doubles winner: $27,150 gross (per player); ATP500: doubles winner: $87,025 gross (per player). A difference of $59,875.

I know the arguments all state that doubles is not as popular as singles; hence the discrepancy in the prize money on offer. But why such a big difference in the prize money for men and women?

It really is time for change. The women’s game is suffering at the mid and lower levels. Players are disheartened and feel grossly under valued yet without them there would be no tournaments to ‘feed’ the top level events. I appreciate that there is more money in the men’s game generally as the men’s game is deemed ‘more attractive’ to sponsors and media but if the income from these sources were to be allocated to one tennis governing body (as opposed to the three that currently exist) then maybe the distribution of prize money, hospitality and tournaments could be a little more fairly balanced between the two sexes? I am sure the male players would not be too happy with a drop in the prize money levels but isn’t it time for some kind of action to at least try to reduce the enormous discrepancy that exists at the moment?

#realitytennis

29. HOSPITALITY

56. SAME WORK, LESS PAY

2. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN

121. TAX SPECIALIST?

13. TAX AND THE TENNIS PLAYER!

28. TOURNAMENT INEQUALITY

54. GIVE THEM A CHANCE!

(Sources: ITF Handbook, WTA Fact Sheets, ATP Handbook, http://www.perfect-tennis.com)

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134. S.O.S.

Obviously the atrocities that have been, and continue to be, taking place in the Middle East this past week are terrifying for everyone, and in particular for all the innocent people who are living, working in, or merely visiting that part of the world at the moment. This includes a bunch of male tennis players who were, until a few days ago, competing in an ATP C50 Challenger event in Fujairah, UAE.

Fujairah is one of the Emirates that makes up the UAE. It is located adjacent to the Gulf of Oman on the eastern edge of the country. I was there only recently, in December 2025, with my player, as she was competing in an ITF W75 event, at the same facility as the one the men were at last week.

Thankfully, a couple of days after the start of the men’s event, the decision was made to cancel the tournament last week, and the one planned for this week. This decision did not come quickly however, and in fact, only appeared to come about after a missile hit a nearby oil refinery, sparking a real sense of urgency in the region.

What happened over the course of the next 24-48 hours was interesting. Initially, the ATP, the governing body for all male pro tennis players, advised the players to leave the region immediately. No easy task when the majority, if not all, the airports in the region had been closed and all flights cancelled. The ATP realised this and arranged a charter flight for players, from Muscat, Oman back to Europe. However, the price for this organised evacuation, was set at €5,000 (c.£4,330) per player (plus an additional €5,000 if a coach was travelling with them).

Now considering that the total prize money for the one person who would have actually won the tournament was set at c.€8,200 (c.£7,100) this flight was deemed unaffordable by pretty much every player in the event. The PTPA (Professional Tennis Players Association) quickly realised this and offered to pay 50% of the ticket price for each player taking the flight, but even so this still made the cost of the flight out very expensive.

Fast forward a day or so and the ATP then agreed to cover the cost of getting the players out of the region on the charter flight, at no cost to the individuals concerned.

All of this however, made me, and many of the female players I was with last week, wonder if the ITF (the governing body for an equivalent women’s event) would have done the same for the women had they been in Fujairah. We will never know but based upon the fact that the ITF doesn’t even pay for the hotel accommodation or food for the women at the ITF W50 events (unlike the men playing the same level tournament), then it would be fair enough to assume that the answer might have been a negative – highlighting once again the discrepancies between the men’s and women’s tours and the need for there to be one governing body overseeing all (instead of three)!

As I have highlighted in earlier blogs, the only men’s events staged by the ITF are the M15 and M35 events (the ‘Futures’). Above this level, the tournaments are organised by the ATP and whilst the prize money at this level is generally on a par with the women’s equivalent ITF events, the difference lies in the provision of accommodation and hospitality. The women have to pay for theirs at W50 level whilst the men do not – it is all paid for by the ATP.

This makes a huge difference and raises the question as to whether or not the ITF W50’s are viable events for the women. Take this week for example, I was with my player at an ITF W50 in Helsinki. The cost of the (tournament) hotel for the week was c.€900 (£780). Flights to and from Helsinki were c.£900 each (we came from the US) and on top of that was food and transport. The net prize money for my player (yes, she had to pay Finnish tax), despite reaching the Doubles Final, was a mere €500 (c.£433), so despite making final, my player ‘lost’ a lot of money which begs the question, why bother to play? Surely the prize money for pro tournaments should at least be set at such a level that the majority of the players can get close to breaking even. And to add insult to injury, the nominated tennis balls for the Helsinki tournament were Dunlop ATP. Yes, you read that correctly, the ball used last week at the women’s ITF W50, were in fact, men’s tennis balls (much heavier), and when asked why, the players were told the balls were fine for any kind of ITF tournament (regardless of sex).

So much needs to be addressed! More on this in future blogs!

#realitytennis

29. HOSPITALITY

33. BREAK(ING) POINT

31. NEW BALLS PLEASE!

2. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN

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133. BUCKLE UP!

One thing I always find quite scary and certainly disconcerting, when traveling on the women’s pro tennis tour, is the reliance and trust, that the players and their support teams, have to put into local transport, in particular taxis/cars. My anxiety levels are never good on travel days but they definitely get worse when part of the journey involves getting into a car of questionable safety, with an unknown driver, who doesn’t speak English, and then having to travel for a number of hours in an ‘alien’ country, where literally anything could happen along the way.

A few incidents come to mind that have happened whilst travelling with my player over the years.

Firstly, random road blocks – so far experienced in Mexico, Morocco and Brazil. In Mexico, we were stopped and asked to pay to use a particular road. The road was blocked by a chain rope, attached to concrete posts, and with a particularly ferocious looking dog positioned nearby. In this instance, if you paid then everything was ok (thankfully). The same happened in Morocco when we were en-route from Marrakech to Casablanca. Not a journey I would want to repeat!

In Brazil, in a hire car (never again!), we were pulled over by the (armed) ‘Police’. They claimed we had committed a driving offence (we had not) and so needed to show our Passports etc. At this point, I (randomly) mentioned that we were in a hurry to get to the Banana Bowl tournament (a top level Junior event), where my daughter was playing. This changed everything. The ‘Police’ suddenly became very friendly and insisted on leading us directly to the venue, to make sure we got there safely! We, in effect, got our own armed escort to the tournament but it was an unsettling experience to say the least.

Secondly, sleepy drivers. Very often, tournaments are staged miles away from the nearest airport and the only way to get there is by taxi. The issue with this is you have no idea how long the driver of the car has been awake or working. Only recently, we landed in Detroit, then had to get an Uber to Midland, MI as there was no alternative form of transport. Half way through the 2 hour journey, I noticed in the rear view mirror that the driver’s eyes were slowly closing. We had to distract him many times during that journey to keep him awake. Far from ideal!

This leads me on to say, if your player is travelling alone in a car, please urge them not to fall asleep, as not only is this dangerous as they could be taken anywhere (kidnapping is a genuine possibility in some parts of the world) but also, they might end up in an accident and know nothing about it. A couple of years ago, one player was being transported to the airport by a WTA driver. She fell asleep and woke to find herself being treated by Paramedics on the roadside, completely oblivious to what had happened a few minutes previous. Fortunately she was ok.

The condition of the taxis/cars that players on tour have to use is sometimes extremely poor. On the WTA Tour, more often than not, players are picked up in very nice, usually new, vehicles – provided by a local dealer as a form of sponsorship. On the ITF Tour however, transport is usually the responsibility of the player. Sometimes the roadworthiness of the vehicles we have to travel in is very questionable. It is not uncommon for cars in some countries, to have no seat belts, so you need to have your wits about you and watch the road carefully to be ready to brace if an accident is looking likely. Similarly, I recall trying to place our bags in the boot/trunk of a taxi in Colombia a few years back, only to be restricted by full gas canisters that were taking up most of the space. Somewhat of a fire hazard I think!

Another car related issue that fills me with fear is when I hear of players who are travelling alone, and who get into cars with random drivers without having given tracking instructions to anyone. One player I know booked an Uber in Colombia for a 4am pick up to the airport (a 4 hour drive), but she failed to tell anyone where she was going etc and did not have a tracking facility enabled. The ‘mum’ in me kicked in and I insisted she message me to confirm when she had arrived safely at Bogota Airport. I was more worried than she was!

However, even with a tracking facility, there is no guarantee that your player will arrive safely but it does at least provide a degree of comfort, assuming there is a signal of course! A few years back my player was travelling to an ITF tournament in the USA. She flew into Dallas and then picked up an Uber to take her to Waco. I was tracking her movement at home in the UK but all of a sudden she ‘disappeared’ from my screen. Needless to say I was out of my mind with worry. But fortunately she did then reappear at her destination. Her driver (whom she had described to me as ‘someone on drugs’) had driven through an area with no satellite signal so the connection had been lost.

Tennis players can be very trusting, and somewhat naive when they are first starting out on the Tour. So if you are a parent or a support team member, please warn your player(s) to exercise caution when travelling, especially if they are alone, and to stay alert at all times!

#realitytennis

12. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

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132. NEED PROTECTION?

Is it my imagination, or are an increasing number of players entering tournaments with a ‘Protected (or Special) Ranking (PR/SR)’? Maybe I am just more aware of them now, but especially around the time of Grand Slam entries, it does seem that more and more players are reappearing following a period of absence, in some instances, after an absence of a few years!

A protected ranking in tennis allows players returning from long-term injury, and maternity/fertility leave, to re enter tournaments using a higher, past ranking. This helps them avoid a drastic ranking drop due to inactivity. Without a PR a player injured for a few months for example, would see their ranking drop considerably, making it almost impossible for them to enter high level tournaments upon their return, even if they were a top ranked player before their absence. Protected rankings therefore serve to bridge this gap and support a players’ comeback. A most notable example of this is Belinda Bencic, who returned last year to high level tennis after the birth of her daughter. She used her PR to get into some of the higher level events and then she performed in a remarkable way and is now back where she was before she went on maternity leave.

Certain ‘rules’ exist in relation to PRs. For example, players must miss/have missed at least 6 months of competition due to injury, military service, or maternity reasons (10 weeks for specific fertility procedures), and they must apply for the PR within 6 months of their last event. Their ranking is frozen at the position they were at at the time of injury/absence (WTA), or the average ranking over the first 3 months after the last event played (ATP).

The PR can be used for entry into main draws or qualifying events but it cannot be used for seeding purposes, so even if a player enters with a PR that would ordinarily make them qualify to be a seed, they will not be as their ranking is a protected one.

At the time of writing this blog, a PR is valid for a limited number of tournaments. On the WTA tour, the PR can be used for a maximum of 2 (different) Grand Slam entries; 8 tournaments, if the absence has been for 6-12 months; or 12, if the absence has been for more than a year. The player has 3 years to activate her PR ie it has to be activated within 3 years of her last match or it will be lost (except in specific circumstances such as a recurrent injury or maternity leave for multiple births). Once activated the player has 12 months to utilise her PR allocation, unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as reoccurrence of the injury.

On the ATP tour, a PR can be used for up to 4 Grand Slam entries and the player can use it at 9 tournaments if the absence has been between 6 and 12 months. 12 PR entries are permitted if the absence has been greater than 12 months. I am unsure as to why there is a difference between the ATP and WTA tours but as with many other things, a difference there is! Another reason why one governing body (as opposed to 2 or 3 if you include the ITF) would be beneficial, but that’s a debate for another day!

How does a player apply for a PR? A player needs to prove the need for a PR by writing a formal written petition to the ATP/WTA, supported by detailed, independent medical documentation. This evidence must verify that the player has been unable to compete in any tennis events (including exhibitions) for a minimum of 6 consecutive months. Each petition is then evaluated by the Medical Services Committee (ATP) to confirm it meets the criteria for injury/illness. For the WTA, players must submit a WTA Medical Information Form which has been completed by an accredited physician.

So what do we think of the PR rules? Well for starters, I personally think the number of PRs a player can have should be equal for men and women. Makes sense? Secondly, I think PRs should be monitored closely to avoid possible abuse of the system. Some of the comments I have seen online recently suggest that the PR system can unfairly impact the lower- ranked players, despite the fact that it is designed as a safety system for injured players. This goes back to what I said in the first paragraph of this blog, questioning why it is that there seem to be more PRs used at the time of the big ticket events, where some players seem to enter for the prize money but then don’t follow up their appearance with entries in subsequent tournaments i.e. are some players using the PR system simply to collect the cash? There was one player who used a PR to gain entry into the women’s doubles event at the Australian Open this year. Prior to this she had not played a tour event since late 2022. I have to assume she had been absent on multiple maternity leaves but it is tough for the players on the alternate list who have been grinding it out on the tour for months on end but who didn’t get into this prestigious event because of a PR that has been in place for over 3 and a half years. Possibly time for a re think or at least the addition of a revised time limit after which players cannot no longer use their PR?

All this aside however, the PR system is a godsend to women who want to pause their playing careers to have a family. Without such a system players like Bencic would have to make a huge choice of career or children – not a decision any women should have to make. It is also a life saver to top level players who suffer a chronic injury whilst at the top of their game. Without the PR system their careers could be cut short or drastically damaged.

Finally, for those who might be tempted to ask, paternity leave can be negotiated but personally, I am unaware of any male player who has taken this up. Maybe Casper Ruud will consider it after the birth of his first child this week?

#realitytennis

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131. IT’S SAD TO SEE

Sadly the more I travel on the pro tennis tour, the more I see players with sadness in their eyes. Maybe I am just more aware of it and it has always been the case, but maybe it is just because the tour has become an increasingly pressured environment, especially for those players outside the top tier level. For these players the grind is endless and the rewards comparatively small. The days are long and the travel is relentless. Even I, as a non player, can find travelling the tour hard going. Waking up not knowing where you are in the world, what the time is, and what day of the week it is. Thank goodness for mobile phones which can remind us of these things!

Increasingly I am seeing players post on social media about their feelings of loneliness and isolation whilst on the tour. In fact, some players (high profile ones too) have either given up completely as a result of it, or have decided to take a ‘mental health’ break, to give themselves some respite from the endless flights, different timezones and the huge demands these have on the human body.

Even at the top tier level, the demands are huge. Players who left their homes in December to embark on the ‘Aussie Swing’ are still far from home, with no prospect of returning anytime in the near future. No sooner has the Australian leg finished and it’s the start of the ‘Middle East Swing’, with tournaments in Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai (women). Then the players move to Stateside for the ‘Sunshine Swing’, with tournaments in Mexico, the US (Indian Wells, Miami and Charleston) before heading back to Europe to Madrid, Rome, Paris, Wimbledon etc (the ‘Clay Court” and ‘Grass Court Swings’), with little or no let up in between. At least the players at this level get to travel in a degree of comfort and are looked after in nice hotels. Demands on their time are high though and the top players have endless media and sponsor commitments to meet, but it’s harder to feel too sorry for them when they are raking in huge sums of money in endorsements and appearance fees.

Whilst I appreciate that all jobs can be demanding, are there any others that generate as much combined physical and mental stress as pro tennis? It’s not just the physicality of playing this demanding sport. It’s more the physical stress on the body brought about by hours spent on planes and the changing time zones. Mentally it is the constant absence from home; the inability for players to have a social life and meaningful, ‘normal’ relationships with friends and family. It’s the missed birthdays; the worry when relatives (especially elderly ones) are sick; the lack of regular nights out and the simple things, like an evening at home. It’s no wonder that after a few weeks/months, that players have a pained look in their eyes. They are homesick and tired.

Mental health is a hot topic at the moment – far more so than it ever used to be, and whilst it can of course be used as an ‘excuse’ for many things, it is, in my opinion, an issue that should be taken seriously. Players are of course offered psychological help once they have reached the WTA/ATP tour levels, with on-site psychologists, and I would be interested to learn how many use this service. But what about the players on the ITF tour? Who looks out for them? Maybe it’s time for the tennis governing bodies to re think the tournament calendar and try to incorporate a number of ‘recovery/catch up’ weeks at certain times of the year, possibly in between each ‘swing’. This might give players an opportunity to rest, re-group, go home or simply enjoy some normality, before they embark on the next part of the tournament year. Food for thought?

#realitytennis

27. WHAT TIME OFF?

103. SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT

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130. BRING YOUR OWN?

One of the hardest and most stressful things I experience whilst travelling with my daughter on the pro tennis tour is meal times. This might sound a little strange but for anyone reading this who has a food allergy, intolerance or worse still, a food related auto immune condition, you will understand that meals out anywhere, but especially in foreign countries, can be a seriously stressful experience.

I have met many players on the Tour who suffer with some kind of ‘food issue’ and it’s no joke. Players who have severe nut allergies; others who suffer from coeliac disease or Crohns (auto immune); players who are lactose intolerant or who are allergic to fish, the list goes on. How do these players manage to stay healthy, get the nutrition they need, and at the same time, play at the highest level? It’s certainly not easy. How do they manage to communicate their food allergies/intolerances to restaurant owners in foreign countries? How do they successfully avoid getting sick?

Speaking from personal experience, as an individual with coeliac disease, I can honestly say that any player with any kind of food allergy/intolerance, will have to deal with high levels of additional stress when travelling on the tour. Some of the tournaments do try to cater for/assist those with food related issues, but the majority do not, especially on the ITF tour, where meals are typically not provided. Countries such as China, Turkey, the UAE and India, for example, do not (yet) really understand (or even identify) illnesses that severely limit food intake, so it is extremely hard for players with food related issues to effectively communicate their needs, and meal times become somewhat of a lottery.

So what does a player do if she has a food related illness? Well, she can try taking some basic food supplies with her, but some countries do not permit you to enter the country with food items, unless you declare them on entry (and that is a major hassle). And, if a player is travelling for a significant number of weeks, how can she bring enough to food for the amount of time she is away? Of course there might be supermarkets near to the tournament venue but reading food labels in foreign languages is far from simple.

Another issue is the nutritional content of the food a player can travel with. For me, the majority of ‘safe’, gluten free foods, are more ‘snack like’ and often have a high sugar content, which is far from ideal. Nutritional supplements (WADA approved ones of course) can assist with vitamins and minerals lost through a restricted diet, but it is harder to find good sources of protein and carbohydrates. If really struggling with a menu, I typically ask the restaurant if the chef can make me a plain omelette or some grilled chicken with rice, but even a simple request like this can be refused. Whilst in China last year, I survived for two weeks on plain rice and hard boiled eggs – boy, was I glad to get home!

Look appetising? A Gluten Free salad Colombian style!

Players with nut allergies, have to be particularly vigilant when they are eating on tour. Even the slightest trace of nuts can cause an anaphylaxis episode which can be deadly. I know some players who simply choose not to travel to tournaments in India and the Far East through fear of ingesting something that contains nuts. That’s particularly tough during the ‘Asian Swing’ when the majority of the high level tournaments are in countries which are not super aware of such food issues.

There are cards people/players can carry which outline (in a variety of languages) what their allergies/intolerances are, and of course there is Goggle Translate (I rely on this one a lot), but still things can get lost in translation, or kitchen staff can forget or not be super vigilant at avoiding cross contamination when preparing the food. Then, as a result, the player/person in question can end up very sick. This happened to me only recently, at the US Open in New York. Whilst in the players restaurant I ordered a gluten free pasta with chicken – exactly the same meal as I had had (without issue) the day before. The chef cooked the meal in front of me, with newly washed utensils etc . However, he must have been distracted when he added the pasta, as unbeknown to me at the time, the pasta I was given (or something else in the meal) contained gluten. The result – a night spent with my head down the toilet and several weeks of other gluten related health issues afterwards.

Of course, some of the top level players are able to travel with a nutritionist, a chef even, but spare a thought for all the others who rely on (foreign) third parties to make sure their food is safe and they do not get sick.

#realitytennis

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Twitter: @realitytennis

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If you have similar stories to share, please feel free to e mail the author at: sallyappleton64@gmail.com

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