‘Impossible to Afford’- Struggling Tennis Players Voice Harrowing Realities as Novak Djokovic’s Brainchild Continues to … – EssentiallySports

Tennis as a sport has completely evolved in the last decades. The game, which is a lot more than just racket and ball, still has some elements that need to be developed. While the top spots have generally been lucrative, players holding the lower rankings find it hard to even manage their expenses.

Existence in the world of professional tennis takes a lot more than just training and honing skills. Expenses, which are a major part of every player’s survival in the sport, have been unfair to the low-ranked players. Recently, a short clip depicted the harsh reality of the tennis world, narrated by the tennis community itself.

Tennis players reveal the harsh reality of managing expenses at lower ranks

While fans have been disappointed about Novak Djokovic‘s deduction in bonuses after the ATP released this year’s reward list, the scenario seems to be even more disappointing when dug deeper. In a recent Instagram Q&A session, several professional tennis players highlighted the financial challenges they face to exist in the world of professional tennis.

Ranked at 377 in WTA, Katy Dunne shared, “I’ve spent 10K and earned 7.” Meanwhile, Alexander Donski, ranked at 990 in the ATP, revealed, “I’ve made around 6000 this year and I spent around 20.” Tefanie Lemaitre, holding the 507th spot in WTA, spoke about her financial journey, saying, “I think I spent around 7 to 10 grand this year and I made maybe four or five, generously, I think.”

When asked about having a coach, she added, “Without a coach, it’s impossible to afford it.” These insights, coming directly from the players, introduced fans to the harsh reality of experiencing the struggles of existing at lower ranks in professional tennis. While the problem has prevailed for a long time, Djokovic’s initiative PTPA has been working on the cause.

PTPA’s role in the introduction of ‘Baseline’ for players

As the video acted as a major indicator of the terrible issue in the world of professional tennis, a solution was recently announced too. The ATP came forward with a new pay structure that would apply from the upcoming season. According to ‘Baseline,’ players in the top 100 ATP rankings are set to receive a minimum reward of $300,000 annually. Those ranked between 101 and 175 will get $150,000, while players in the 176-250 range will receive $75,000 per year.

This positive change came into effect after the strong efforts of the Players Tennis Association (PTPA), formed by the tennis legend Novak Djokovic. Working tirelessly to advocate for the financial well-being of players, the organization made every possible effort to guide ATP in making major decisions for the well-being of players. While the announcement is to commence from the upcoming season, it still remains to be seen if the situation of players improves.

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