Reality Tennis

147. DOUBLES (IN) TROUBLE

Men’s pro doubles is hitting the headlines this week and it’s not good news. An open letter has been sent to the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Board – see above – from a large number of doubles players (active and ‘legends’) and tennis federations (LTA excluded), expressing extreme concern about the proposed changes to draw sizes and doubles prize money from 2028. The proposals are such that, in the opinion of many, careers and livelihoods could be destroyed, whereas the ATP says the proposals will “strengthen” the tour.

One of the arguments in favour of the changes comes from what is perceived to be the ‘disproportionate lack of interest’ in doubles (compared to singles,) shown by fans. But to counter this, the doubles players are arguing that if more was done to promote their discipline then greater audiences would be attracted. After all, over 60% of adult, and club, tennis players regularly play doubles, making it the most popular format for casual or social play (source: NY Times).

I think the players (and federations) who have penned this open letter have a real point. Doubles, in my opinion, has always been the poor relation and it is refreshing to see these players standing up for what they truly believe in. Many of them are doubles specific and pro doubles is their full time job. So their jobs and income are in jeopardy. And what’s the betting that the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) will try and follow suit once the waters have calmed, especially as the WTA is reported to be in such a financial mess that any kind of cost cutting exercise will be welcomed by them as an organisation.

As a parent of a pro tennis player, and one who has travelled on the tour and watched singles and doubles matches all over the globe, I find it so sad to see doubles players being treated in this way. For sure, attendance at doubles matches is often less than that of singles, but so too is the marketing of these events. Why not create a ‘doubles tour’ – and promote that and see what happens? Or at least think about it! After all, padel tennis is predominantly a doubles sport and that seems to be doing pretty well at the moment so who is to say that pro tennis doubles could not take off! A doubles specific tour might also stop those singles players, who never normally play doubles, from using their singles ranking to gain entry into the doubles events of Grand Slams, at the detriment of those players who dedicate their professional careers to this discipline. How archaic and unreasonable is that system? Just another example of how the powers that be want to make the singles players richer, especially those at the top, at the expense of all others – doubles players included. In my opinion, it’s just not right but no doubt others will disagree!

#realitytennis

59. THE POOR RELATION

41. FINAL INSULT

114. “BANK JOB”

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146. COSTLY TIME OUT

With the pro tennis tour becoming more and more intense, tournaments all over the globe, and the battle to rise up the rankings as fierce as ever, it is not surprising that many players are getting injured or are taking time out to reset mentally. However, time out for many is costly, and can financially cripple a player. As always, players at the top end of the rankings are generally fine. They are either covered by expensive medical insurance policies or their federation, or they have enough money put aside from endorsements, sponsors etc to cover their costs. However, consider those lower down the scale who are not afforded these luxuries.

My player was unfortunately injured a few weeks ago. It did not come at a good time. Her schedule was such that she was going to compete in a run of tournaments which were relatively local to home (UK and Europe), but some of these had to be shelved. So what did that mean to her financially?

Well, first up she had to see a physio to assess the injury. £60 down – and this was a special athlete rate. Then an MRI to confirm the injury – the cheapest we could find was £440 – so she was already £500 out of pocket. Then a series of assessments and rehab treatments at c. £100 a time. So by the end of this period, she will be about £1500 worse off 😲 just as a result of the injury. Add to that potential lost income then we are looking at a bigger figure and that is for a relatively minor injury. Imagine one that takes months to fix and you are looking at several £1000s of ‘lost money’.

If your player is fortunate enough to have federation support then all, or at least a lot of, these costs will be covered. But sadly, players without that support have to pay the bills themselves. My player is paying for all her injury expenses herself and has to wait in line for NHS treatment or pay private fees. Other players that are insured or are federation backed, get far more preferential treatment – private doctors, MRI’s, physios, hospitals – with the bills being paid for by another party.

Then of course there is the rehab itself – also costly. Gym access is essential – again not guaranteed for all players. The majority of players do have access to a gym somewhere but sometimes the rehab is quite specialised and needs equipment that is not available in your run of the mill high street gym. If the player is sponsored or federation supported then this is not an issue, but if not, then she has to pay for access to the specialised facilities. The National Tennis Centre in UK has all the equipment needed for injury assessments and rehab but sadly, not all British players are allowed to use these facilities so they have to go elsewhere.

So what can a pro player do to earn some income whilst rehabbing an injury and to pay for her treatment? The answer is not a lot! She clearly can’t coach (easily) or play Pro-Ams with an injury. She can speak at conferences and seminars, if time planning is such that this can be arranged at short notice. These events do not generate a huge wage, but at least they are a form of ‘giving back,’ which can only be a good thing. So it’s tough and can be a very expensive time for players who are unable to play for a while. The majority just have to sit the time out and wait to be fit again, which is hard when they can see all their peers competing week in week out. But this is just another reality of life on the pro tennis tour. #realitytennis

138. REALITY CHECK

49. GIVING BACK

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145.GAMES?

We have all heard of the Olympic Games and every elite athlete dreams of being able to represent their Country at this event. Winning an Olympic medal is for some, the pinnacle of their being in their elected sport and let’s face it, if you win a Gold, then you are part of history and in many ways, you are set for life.

However, the Olympics are staged only every four years. Lesser known, are all the other ‘Games’ that take place around the world at various intervals either side of the Olympics. Only a few weeks ago, we saw the Asian Games – held this year in Nagoya, Japan. 48 countries were eligible to be represented at this prestigious event, and a total of 43 sports were on display, including tennis, the aim being to bring all the countries involved together with a view to strengthening relationships and developing friendships via the medium of sport.

In a similar vein, there are also a series of other ‘Games’ staged across the world, including:

the Mediterranean Games
the South East Asia Games;
the South Asian Games;
the South American Games;
the Pacific Games;
the African Games;
the Pan American Games;
the Commonwealth Games; and
the European Games, to name a few.

With regard to finances, athletes in all these ‘Games’ do not typically get a direct appearance fee or salary for taking part. However, many of the sports federations and sponsors do offer significant financial incentives to athletes to encourage them to participate. With this in mind, one can only assume that Alexandra Eala (top 20 player) was incentivised to take part in the recent Asian Games. She was seeded 1 and decided to put the Asian Games ahead of the WTA100 China Open – a mandatory tournament for someone of her ranking – so she will have been financially penalised for not showing up in Beijing.

All of these Games, with the exception of the European and Commonwealth Games, include tennis in their list of eligible sports – although the European Games do include padel and table tennis! Such a shame for the tennis players from all the countries included in these two prestigious events. Maybe it’s about time for this to change to give the British players a chance to take part in. Food for thought.

#realitytennis

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144. HOW OLD ARE YOU?

Every now and again a player appears on the women’s tennis pro tour and when I do a check on their profile, I cannot always believe their age. I first had this feeling when my player was on the junior tour, but it happened again more recently when she was scheduled to play a woman from Eastern Europe at an ITF WTT event. When I viewed the player’s profile, I noticed that her age was reported to be 18, but when I saw her I wasn’t so sure that could be correct!

Once on the women’s tour a players age is of little importance but when playing in juniors, age and physical/emotional maturity can make a big difference. Certainly when my player was a junior, some of her opponents were so much taller and bigger than her, but apparently they were the same age. Technically speaking, I have always understood that when a baby is born, their birth has to be registered fairly quickly, and certainly within a few weeks, but I am not totally convinced this rule is upheld worldwide and certainly, on the women/girls side of tennis, there are some players out there who do not look as young as their given age might suggest!

I once this discussed this with a player from China and she told me that she was aware that in some parts of China for example, the birth of babies are not always registered immediately and the child may be almost 2/3 years old before their details hit the system. Can this be correct? It certainly appears like it could be when I see some of the women players joining the tour. There are certainly some out there who claim to be 18 , 19 or 20 but they look far older! Maybe that is just the effect of life on tour! We will never know and I am certainly not claiming that the parents of junior players are trying to gain a competitive advantage but stranger things have happened! _😂

#realitytennis

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143. GRACIOUS IN DEFEAT?

Last month, Ben Shelton beat Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter finals of the US Open. It was an incredible match, which finished in the early hours of the following morning. At the net at the end, there was a genuine hug and smiles from both players. Alcaraz, the bookies favourite, had lost but wow was he gracious in defeat. The picture of him in the tunnel when he left the court was nothing short of inspiring. Carlos was smiling and whilst I am sure he was immensely disappointed with the loss, he knew that he had performed well and done his best on the day. He later posted a message on his Instagram, account:

“What a battle Ben! ❤️ You deserve the win. I wish you the best for the rest of the tournament!”

I just love this! Whatever disappointment he was feeling he just kept it all hidden and was full of praise for his opponent.

Now how often do we see something similar with other players, and dare I say it, with the women players in particular? I wrote a blog about this a while back ( see link below), and sadly things seem to have changed very little. Take for example, Sabalenka’s recent loss at the China Open in Beijing. She was beaten by a better player on the day – rising star Bartunkova from the Czech Republic – but the hand shake at the net was so cold and no words were spoken, and given that Bartunkova is only 20 years old, I think a few words from Sabalenka would have been nice, if only to praise her on what she had just achieved at such a young age. Now I do understand how tough it is when a player loses but it doesn’t cost to be gracious and show a little respect to the person across the net who has played incredibly well, and given possibly her best ever performance.

Not all (female) players are like this but there are certainly quite a few on the tour (and off as well). At the end of the day, these matches are indeed a gladiatorial battle but there can only be one winner and surely there should be some mutual respect for your opponent. After all, all the players are trying to achieve the same aim; they are ‘all in this together’ so know only too well what it takes to win a match and how it feels when you lose. I am not underestimating the sadness and frustration a player feels when she loses a match she thinks she ‘should’ have won – but there is no ‘should’ in tennis. A match is anyone’s for the taking – that’s what makes it such an amazing sport – but at least be polite and say ‘well played’ when you lose to someone who has played better than you on the day.

#realitytennis

45. ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

10. TOUGH DAY AT THE OFFICE

11. TOUGH DAY AT THE OFFICE – THE DO’S AND DON’TS

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142. KNOW YOUR ENTITLEMENTS

Sometimes on the ITF World Tour I get the impression the event organisers are trying to ‘pull a fast one’ and players need to be aware! In particular, and all of these came up very recently with my player, are the issues of physio support, new balls and the timely payment of prize money.

As you can see from the image above, at the recent ITF W50 event in Yecla, Spain, physio services were being charged for . Now according to the ITF WTT Rules and regulations:

“On-site treatment administered to players by a Sports Physiotherapist(s) must be free of charge at all Women’s WTT tournaments.”

My player got injured mid match, early on in the week. The physio came on court and gave some minimal treatment in the time allowed but post match, my player was expected to pay if she wanted/needed to see the physio for some more comprehensive treatment. We advised the Tournament Director of the rules and only then was my player told that she could have 20 mins of ‘free’ treatment but anything longer than that would be charged at the advertised rate. 🤔

Another rule that some tournaments like to stretch somewhat is when it comes to giving players practice balls. In the WTA events players are given new balls for every practice. At ITF WTT events, practice balls have typically been ‘used’ but certainly at W35 tournaments and above:

“A minimum of three (3) new balls of the same brand and type as the match balls must be
available for practice for each Main Draw Player/Team in advance of their first match.”

There have been many occasions where we have had to remind the tournament staff of this!

This reminds me of another anomaly which recently happened. The ITF W35 tournament in Hurghada, Egypt had stated on its fact sheet that they would be using Dunlop Fort balls, so sharp minded players practiced with these balls before going to the event. However, on arrival players were given Dunlop AO balls – very different from the heavier Dunlop Fort balls. 🤔

Another thing to be aware of is when a player can expect/hope to be paid for their efforts. Some tournaments pay the players with cash (usually US$ or €) but sometimes, and in particular with the higher level events, payment is made via a bank transfer. According to the ITF WTT Rules and Regulations, “payment of prize money electronically must be paid immediately and all transfers must be processed by the Tuesday (following the event) and completed (in a player’s selected account) by the Friday following the tournament”.

Sadly this is not always the case, and players are advised to keep on top of this. Not for the first time, and at a recent ITF WTT event in Poland, my player had still not been paid three weeks after the end of the tournament. Had she not chased the organiser, national federation and the ITF then she would most likely still be waiting for her money! The tournament organiser actually blocked her from Whatsapp contact despite the fact that it was the organisers fault that the payment had not been issued. Poor public relations!

Finally, “if a Tournament Organiser elects to pay the prize money via bank transfer, the Tournament Organiser and/or National Association will be liable for any bank fees associated with such transfer.” This one is worth keeping an eye on too as again my player has certainly incurred bank fees that should not have been her responsibility. The amounts may only be relatively small but for the players every penny counts.

So, if you have a player on the tour, encourage them to know their entitlements and to question things if they feel that rules are being stretched or ignored, especially when it comes to things like payment of fees for physio treatment etc. #realitytennis

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141. UNSUSTAINABLE

Imagine this. You have a job, a profession, but the amount you get paid simply doesn’t cover what you have to pay to do the job. So, your ‘salary’ isn’t enough to pay for your travel to work, your food whilst at work and any assistance you need to do the job effectively. And on top of that you also get charged tax, both in the UK and overseas.

Sounds tough? Well, welcome to pro tennis.

New players coming into the game are largely oblivious to their plight ahead. They are keen, eager but possibly, somewhat naive.

The top-level players, on the other hand, have talent that has helped them progress up the pro ladder faster than the average player and also, most likely, the financial support (from parents, federations, sponsors) to cover any deficit they might incur. As a result, they are usually quite unaware of the struggles being experienced by their lower ranked peers, and also why would they care anyway!

But for the mid-range players life is very different. Take a player ranked top 300-500 in the World (yes, the World!), they spend the majority of their year playing ITF World Tour level tournaments all over the globe – the W35/W50/W75s in the case of the women. But unless they reach the semi-final or beyond, they are pretty much guaranteed to come away with nothing for their hard work, and more likely than not, they will go away at the end of each week, having actually lost money.

Take for example, my player. A few weeks ago she travelled to Poland for a ITF W15 event. She made the semi finals. Her gross prize money was £568. She then paid out £57 in local tax. Her costs to go to this event (entry fee, stringing, flights, accommodation, transport to and from the site etc) were £1,683. She did not have a coach with her. Total loss that week was c.£1,172.

The next tournament was a ITF W35 in Egypt. She made the quarter finals. Her gross prize money was £620. Local tax was £124. Costs amounted to £1,592 (again no coach). Total loss for the week was c.£1,096.

Week 3 took her to an ITF W50 in Spain. She lost in the last 16 having incurred an injury. Her gross prize money was £541. Local tax was £130. Costs amounted to £1,236 (again no coach). Total loss for the week was c.£.825.

So over these particular three weeks, my player lost c.£3,093. Why continue to play I hear you ask? Well to succeed in pro tennis, i.e. get to the higher levels which do actually earn you enough money to cover your costs, you need to play and earn ranking points and over those 3 weeks, 20 points were gained which resulted in a ranking rise. However, the ranking system is an annual roll over one so, as points are going on they are also coming off, so the pressure to perform and gain points never stops.

I could go on but I think you get the picture. This kind of continual financial loss is simply not sustainable. All well and good if your player has a sponsor, federation support or family money, but sadly, the majority do not – mine included. So they play for a few years then have to give up what they are good at because they have run out of funds, or the mental and physical stress of it all is too much. Some are able to supplement their income to support their pro careers for a little longer (see link below), but when doing this, they cannot simultaneously play tournaments so consequentially, cannot earn ranking points, so cannot get into the bigger events where the rewards are so much greater, and so the cycle continues.

Now some people will say that these players are simply not good enough but I would respond by saying firstly, to reach a level that is even in the top 1000 in the World is pretty exceptional. The World is a very big place and to be able to say you are one of the top 1000, 250, 600 players in the World is something to be extremely proud of. And secondly, if all the players who were losing money week in week out just gave up because they were deemed ‘not good enough’, then there would be no players for the top pros to play against.

Others might say, why travel so far to play these events. The simple answer to that is a player plays whichever tournament they can get into and whichever tournament they have the best chance of doing well. It is not easy to be choosey and just play the ones closer to home (which doesn’t mean in their own country) – they have to go where they get into the draw.

Now of course, there are many people in the world who have jobs that don’t cover their expenses, but you don’t really expect this to be the case when you are looking at professional sport. The media is often filled with stories of how much pro footballers, basketball players and tennis pro’s are getting when they compete, but little coverage is given to all the hundreds and thousands of high-level athletes, who lose money week in week out, but carry on playing their chosen sport because it’s something they are good at and it is their job. They don’t necessarily love it (not everyone loves their job) but it is what they are good at and it has to be worth trying at least for a while, to make a living. But there inevitably comes a time when reality hits and players have to stop and try to secure a more reliable, regular form of income. Surely there must be a better way of organising pro tennis? Dare I mention Pickleball which, for the moment at least, is organised such that players are contracted to play and so receive a monthly salary. This at least takes away some of the stress of playing and wondering where the next pay check is coming from. How can tennis pro’s focus on the ‘process’ when they are constantly worrying about costs and whether or not they can afford to travel to the next tournament or even cover basic bills?

#realitytennis

Highest Paid Tennis Players (2026 to date)
Source: Facebook

13. TAX AND THE TENNIS PLAYER!

138. REALITY CHECK

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140. NO ROOM AT THE INN

The “surf room”. Photo Credit: Sally Appleton

Last week I travelled to Spain with my player for an ITF W50 in a small town called Yecla. A delightful club, set in the hills inland from the Costa Blanca. Nice staff, good food and a quality clubhouse. The organisation was great and the courts were well maintained and nice to play on. However, there were two issues to contend with with this venue – its’ location and lack of available accommodation.

Yecla is located c.100km from the international airports in Valencia, Alicante and also, Murcia. However, getting to it was challenging. Car hire was really the only option as the train/bus network offered no simple options and a taxi for that distance was unaffordable. However, many of the players at the tournament were travelling alone and the cost of renting a car if you are under 25 years is a limiting factor, so just getting to the tournament was far from easy.

However, getting to the venue was not the main problem – finding accommodation was far more challenging. The hotel on the tournament fact sheet was small and full – of tournament officials – and there were no alternatives in the town. So apartments were the only option but these were hard to find. The tournament organisers were not particularly helpful and did not seem to understand that the players needed somewhere local to stay. Anyway, it turned out to be quite an adventure and certainly a ‘first’ for me and my player as we ended up staying in a hostel, with shared facilities and extremely uncomfortable, small beds.

We stayed in the ‘Surf Room’ and were fortunate enough to have an en-suite bathroom. I use the term en-suite loosely – we had a toilet and shower, in a cupboard! The door to the bathroom was made up of old skateboards, a wake board and a pair of skis (see picture above) and it didn’t really close or offer any kind of privacy.

There was no AC (needed as it was extremely hot) and the beds were hideous! Small, narrow and extremely creaky. You couldn’t even breathe heavily without the bed making a noise and turning over during the night was impossible without waking up your room mate. Both of us woke each morning with stiff and sore joints – even more so than usual for myself who is of more mature years!

The kitchen in the hostel was basic but usable which meant at least we could self cater but we had to share with all the other people staying. This included a couple of “hippies” and their dog. Nice people but very different! But we were fortunate in that we at least had our room for the week – other players had to share double beds with other tennis players, who they did not necessarily know, or had to move out of their accommodation after only a couple of days as their room was booked for another person, and it was extremely difficult for them to find somewhere else local to stay.

So ITF please consider available accommodation and accessibility of tournament venues when finalising competitions. As I have said, the club in Yecla was fabulous but getting there and finding somewhere suitable to stay was such that there are many players who are unlikely to return in future years.

#realitytennis

Yecla Tennis Club. Photo credit: Sally Appleton

8. BED BUGS AND UNWANTED GUESTS – GLAMOROUS HOTELS AND WONDERFUL HOSTS

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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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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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