Australian tennis stars Nick Kyrgios and John Millman have weighed in on the ATP Tour’s new funding initiative.
The ATP on Wednesday announced the creation from 2024 of a financial security program for players ranked inside the top 250, guaranteeing a minimum yearly income and support in case of injury.
Organisers of the men’s professional tennis circuit also said the initiative would provide funding to up-and-coming players once they break into the world’s top 125.
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The ‘Baseline’ scheme ensures minimum income levels for players based on their ranking, with the ATP set to compensate for any shortfall in prize money earnings.
For the 2024 season, the “guaranteed threshold” for top-100 players will be $A463,000, for those ranked 101-175 the amount drops down to $231,000 and then $150,000 for any remaining players inside the top 250.
The new scheme however didn’t sit well with Kyrgios who responded to a tweet on the salary figures with a simple message.
“Lol still not enough,” Kyrgios wrote.
Fellow Aussie Millman backed up the sentiment shared by Kyrgios as he revealed the true extent of expenses required to be on the tour.
“The difficult thing for the casual observer to wrap their heads around are the expenses that tennis players take on board,” he wrote.
“Especially if you are from a country that is more isolated. $200k+ easily in expenses across the year.
“Tennis players shelf life is probably 35 years old max. Nearly all have to find another career post tennis and unless it’s tennis coaching are probably unqualified.
“Guys who are 250 in the world are probably clearing 20-30k after tax and expenses it’s a slog.”
Millman has never shied away from revealing the truths behind the curtain in the tennis world after he exposed tennis as an “unequal playing field” in a column for news.com.au.
“By having unequal opportunities in tournament preparations, the odds before even walking onto the court are stacked against the underdog – for more reasons than most realise,” he wrote.
Former world number three Grigor Dimitrov, a member of the ATP player advisory council, said the initiative was a “game-changer”.
“Being a professional tennis player comes with incredible rewards, but it’s also a challenging journey, especially for those starting their careers,” he said.
“Baseline is a game-changer. Knowing that we have a safety net through the minimum guarantee and injury protection pillars gives us peace of mind, allowing us to focus on our game and strive for success.”
The ATP is regularly criticised by players for the inequality between the top players who earn vast sums of money and those at the lower end of the rankings who struggle to make ends meet.
– with AFP