Once again an insightful piece of writing Kelli ... this whole scenario reminds me of what Actors must go through. Huge salaries for the elite and shared basement apartments for those who don't make it to the 'big show'. Years of working on their craft only to support (or play with) those who bring home the million dollar packages.

Hi there, smr. :)

It's such a shame, isn't it? I wonder how many talented people tennis may lose, because the price for playing is so high. Other sports like basketball and baseball will deplete the talent pool.

I don't know if you or anyone else saw Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters play for the Billie Jean Cup the other day- but John McEnroe was lamenting the current state of men's tennis in the States. It made me sigh a little. How can the most talented people play tennis if 1) they can't afford it, and 2) the USTA will probably not support them in their quest to do so.

I can't believe there is no room to help someone ranked 100 or 200 or 1000 for that matter. Think about it...if you are 1000, that means all but one-thousand people in the whole world are better than you. It's just unfair. If you're that good, you should be able to support yourself financially, no?

Thank you for reading.

@Kelli

Unfortunate as this is, this is not just confined to only tennis.

In most sports, only the players at the very top of their respective fields have financial security.

Also, tennis requires a certain amount of infrastructure before you can develop as a player. i remember having to save up for an entire year for my first 'quality' racquet and then another full year to afford membership to play at the local training center. Had to do with gravel courts during that time.

The fact is that getting started is very tough in this game and that is why stories like Sharapova practicing in a swimming pool etc is even more appreciated.

Posting extracts from an article in similar vein:

Full article here : http://www.insidetennis.com/2009/03/american-tennis-soft/

***
?I think this Y generation, or what we call this E generation ? the entitled generation, says ?I want to play soccer and be a lifeguard in the summertime and if things don?t work out I?m just going to go home to Dad. It?s no big deal,?? opined former French Open doubles champ and current Syracuse women?s coach Luke Jensen. ?The Russians can?t go home. There?s 30 percent unemployment. South America, Argentina ? there?s no economy, there?s no future. You have got to make it. You don?t have a choice. You have to succeed.?


***
Preeminent sports psychologist Jim Loehr agrees and says that spoiled kids don?t make for great champions in anything.

?Affluence undermines drive,? says Loehr. ?If you come from highly affluent family and there?s no real urgency to accomplish extraordinary things to survive, you?re not going push yourself to endure a lot of pain. You have a fallback position. That?s why it?s not surprising that a lot of top players come from areas of the world where they have to fight like a dog to survive. If you look at golf and why the South Koreans are dominating the LPGA, it?s because they have a work ethic that?s beyond comprehension. There?s a big chance of burnout, but they don?t have the fallback position. They?re betting the whole farm on the kid. The same thing with Monica Seles ? neither of her parents worked and Monica was out on court knowing she was fighting for the survival of the whole family.?

Tracy Austin, now a USTA coach who didn?t exactly grow up queuing up in breadlines but became one of the most driven competitors of her era, added, ?It?s all about who works harder and what?s in the gut. So many of the parents in the European countries, they?ll send the kids away. It?s a hunger and work ethic that seems different there.?

***
There?s a little doubt that busting out of the poor confines of Compton encouraged the Williamses to salivate for glory,
***
As John McEnroe says, being an impoverished player who is supporting an extended family is no automatic key to success. The right environment is always key.
?Just because someone was hungry and was in the middle of a war zone in Serbia doesn?t mean that that?s the only way to get a champion in tennis,? he said. ?Look at Nadal and Federer; they come from Mallorca and Switzerland. Those are two perfectly good upbringings, and they?re the best in the world. So someone found something inside of Nadal that?s remarkable. We need to try to get better athletes in our sport.?

Loehr said that in Federer and Nadal?s case, it wasn?t their economy that mattered so much, it was how their parents and/or extended families handled their approach to sport.

?You can still make it if you?re affluent or middle-class, if you have parents who are connected and understand hard work and don?t try to buy their way into the finals?Not enough parents understand how to create the right conditions at home.?


***

Loehr argues that the greatest obstacle the U.S. faces is that the sport has become too expensive for most families to afford. While just playing the sport at public parks, buying rackets, balls and shoes and paying for a few clinics isn?t prohibitive, top juniors require a whole lot more. Providing private coaching and travel for a competitive junior over a 10-year period costs well into the six figures.

***

And as a final word -
When we do find athletes who are gifted, they can?t pay the tab for coaching and to travel. As you get better and better, more of the cost has to be taken over by the USTA or outside sources, so it becomes less expensive for you to reach a certain level, but you?ve earned the right to have your expenses paid for. It will make it possible for those who aren?t affluent to get to the top.?


Thanks for this article Kellie, i hope someone takes note.

Thank you FITG, I appreciate the quotes you've added. I had no idea about Sharapova and the swimming pool! Pure drive in a player, if ever there was any.

I hope someone takes note as well. I realize that the top talent does (and should) receive a higher payout. No problem. I'd like to think that somehow, there will be room for everyone.

Thank you for stopping by. :)

don't sound like monaco but boooo hooo!!! nobody cries for me being broke. fed & nadal get paid more because they win more. some clown out ranked 500 won't get the same because he sucks. get over it.

It's also so wrong that the guys/gals who can afford to pay for them, get all the free rackets, clothes, shoes, etc that they want while the journeymen who are scraping by have to pay for their own gear.

Monaco is injured- he pulled out of Davis Cup against Sweden. I think he's got bigger issues to deal with at the moment.

I didn't write this with Federer in mind, even though he made a guest spot in a couple of places. You can't use Federer as a measuring stick for a player outside the top 500, or INSIDE the top 500 for that matter.

It's not about taking away Federer's money. No one has been more successful- he's the best player of his generation by far. If I had a say in it, I'd say he deserves a hell of a lot more than 6 million for his trouble. I'm asking for others- not just Federer, Nadal, Djokovic or Murray or Del Potro- to be taken care of.

Miri...my apologies if I'm wrong, but you are the webmaster @ nadalnews.com? Such a great place and a terrific group of people. Nice things written about the Rafa/Shaki piece. Much appreciated. Lol, if I mixed you up with someone else, I'm totally sorry.

How ironic. Those who don't need gear and clothes and other things get it for free. When Cheryl and I were both in Canada, we ran into Dancevic's manager John, who told us that he didn't have any shoes. He ended up wearing some tacky red ones that weren't his AND were also the wrong size. At first I thought he was joking....

great guy you give up your *** to then, screwing over his own mates. monaco has no class!!!! you called yourself a shill lady, you think i trust a word that comes outta your mouth? you'd prolly take fedmug's money from him & kick him in the ding ding if you could you crook.

The Frank Dancevic story is a bit sad, although bordering on funny. He did do a milk commercial here in Canada that always gets pulled out when the Slams are on TV - let's hope he gets some residuals.

Kelli,
Good article and very true. If things were structured a little differently, more athletes would turn to tennis as opposed to other sports. I've always thought it was unbelievable how much baseball and basketball players make in MLB and the NBA. I always wished players in sports like tennis and volleyball made more but it really comes down to fan support. If there were more fans of tennis at events, there would be more money to go around. Who goes to challenger events? The parents and families of the players I bet is about all. More natural talent, more intelligence, more ingenuity and more hard work ethic usually get you ahead in life. For those who aren't fantastic at tennis, perhaps they should pursue another dream and leave tennis as a weekend hobby as I do. Life is all about finding your niche.

no response. demario lemme give some friendly advice to you. end talking to scrubs like monaco and this dancyvich tool. keep going this way and your gonna end up ******* your way to the middle.

is the email from one of your argie basterdos?

spadea....I'm not sure I know how to respond to any of your posts. They made me laugh though. :)

smr- True story, he really said it. I've been around more music managers than tennis managers...they're usually more tight lipped, and the admission was a shocker. Dancevic had the misfortune of drawing Djokovic that night, so the red shoes weren't working their magic.

chr18- Challenger events are good if you are a networking type, or if you want something more low key. Big events are great, but you run the risk of getting lost in the crowd and the insanity of it all.

I'd like to see more fan support as well. One thing the organizers can do is to lower the cost for an average fan to attend an event. Most cities do not host one tournament, much less more than one. Some people have the time to travel, but the outrageous cost for doing so is unacceptable.

I had a gf in New York tell me it cost her 10K to spend the week in Flushing. Another is spending nearly 2K for less than a week in Indian Wells. Boggles the mind.

On a lark I thought to check on you. My lord I had left you for dead! Decided to crawl out from our private cave, have we? Quite lovely to see you, Dear.

I suppose I shall leave you a proper comment, long as I am up at this ungodly hour. LOL. Trash that so large a group as this will be forever and ever skint. I'm sorely afraid your passion is destined to fall flat upon deaf ears, Dear. Impoverished players who are ranked below Roger and Rafa and Nole are commonplace.

Do not think for a moment I have missed this new endeavour of yours. Do send me the particulars please, and how I shall be included as a contributor. Cheers Dear, I will return tomorrow!

Cheeky title, by the bye. LOL.

Interesting article. Hugh difference in playing on a team that supplies equipment, for example, compared to tennis where it is lonely and every "man" for himself. Helps if the family has finances to assist the talented ones. It's not fair, but life isn't fair. That is the first rule. Not easy to make it prob in any sport, but certainly in tennis it certainly seems to be true - the different levels, traveling is expensive for players without sponsors, teams of support people if you are lucky. It is amazing when you think about it - how to succeed in the world of pro-tennis. Talent alone is not enough. Perseverance, funding, equipment, mental strength, sponsors. Makes one ponder commitment.

If Simone Bolelli is playing Challengers now I'm more than happy to help him get laid.

I dont agree with the point of this article.

Income ratio isnt any different in other sports either. Im guessing Garnett's income compared to a player in D-League isnt much different to what Federer earns compared to Witten. Same goes to the income difference between Federer-Michael Rubin to for example Kaka vs. Latvian Third Division player. Income difference is huge in all mainstream sports- and in all occupations aswell; and their future isnt threatened.

I see the point you are trying to make, orion - but there IS a difference. Tennis players don't play for a team. That means they have to pay for their own coach, pay for their own travel expenses, pay for their own trainers, etc... Athletes who play for teams earn a salary - tennis players do not. How do they pay for good coaching if they can't earn money? How can they earn money if they can't pay for a good coach?

Kelli, great article and good subject for discussion but you didn't tell us whether the Challenger and Futures events are sponsored, whether they receive much revenue from advertising and ticket sales. The prize money for the senior events, I believe comes from income generated at those events, so you would expect the players to be paid accordingly. How busy are these tours, could the players not earn money doing other things? Most works of life are structured along the same lines, many actors, for instance, work in between acting jobs, to earn a living.

There has to be something for players to aspire to, if the top players were not that much better off than the rest, then players will not have the incentive to get to the top, they could simply coast around at the bottom, with no commitments or responsibilities to draw people to the sport, and quite quickly, the sport will not attract any attention.

I remember a couple of years ago, a very low ranked player did very well at Wimbledon, and it was said that he was so broke that he had to borrow his shoes and shirt to play.

Actually, it wasn't Sharapova who started in a disused swimming pool, it was Ivanovic.

Talking about whether poverty can provide drive, I remember McEnroe saying that his children have not taken up any sport because they suffer from 'affluenza'.

From a Swimming Pool in Serbia to a Final in France
By TOM PERROTTA | June 8, 2007

PARIS ? Only six years ago, Ana Ivanovic, the 19-year-old from Belgrade, Serbia, who will play for the French Open title on Saturday, was hitting tennis balls inside an empty, Olympic-size swimming pool. The club that owned it didn't want to spend the money to heat it in the winter, so it drained the water, rolled out some carpet, and set up two nets.

"It was impossible to play crosscourt, because it was this far from the wall," Ivanovic, squeezing two fingers together, said. "So we had to keep playing down the lines."

"spadea....I'm not sure I know how to respond to any of your posts. They made me laugh though. :)"

I do, Kelli. How about STFU, @$$hole, until you can string one post together without calling out someone?

Now, back to more important matters than ranting d-bag trolls: All sports have been set up as the rich get richer and the rest pay the freight, mostly because, as others have pointed out, no one wants to watch the minor leaguers play on merit. (Maybe the challenger circuit should borrow from minor league baseball and start getting the Zooperstars to show up for events or shoot t-shirts into the crowd.)

This topic sort of dovetails into the discussion of appearance pay in another thread. Tourneys pay Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic (and others, of course) money just to show up, because tourney organizers know that certain names will bring in the fans.

So, if a few players are really driving the bus for the entire sport, why shouldn't they be adequately compensated? In other words, if everyone wants to watch Fed and Rafa, then why shouldn't Fed and Rafa make more than everyone else? You want to share their rarified air? Beat them when it counts--at the Grand Slams--more than once.

@carrie 3/4/10 2:36 PM

My bad, ya i remember it was in a FO semifinal between Iva and Sharapova that the pool reference was made.. Got it mixed up.. thanks for sorting it out.

@Kelli, i hope you check this post - I think there is a way out for confident players ready to market themselves - -

Maybe tennis players should get smart and do what Sam Querrey did : :)

- Sam Querrey, a good-natured 21-year-old, is no stranger to raising money from outside sources. However, the 6-foot-6 American with a serve designed to knock the socks off opponents has put a unique spin on financial sponsorship.


Using an enterprising blueprint designed by his father, Mike, a mortgage banker, Querrey invited investors to gamble on his future success: Put money down now to receive a guaranteed percentage of his gross annual prize money, paid in quarterly installments, for a set number of years.

Article - http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/notebook?page=notebook/tennis0 3172009

Good idea right?

What i am trying to say is that it is not entirely upto the organizers, players confident in their own ability can make things like this work.
After Sam's last season, he is well on the way to turning a profit for his investors!


Players need higher returns becaus inspite of the big disparity in paychecks, thier expenses remain the same as major players.
The challenge of financing your career is even more difficult when you first enter the tour because normally you aren?t making it very far into tournaments and therefore your prize money is much smaller, but you are still paying all of the same expenses as the other players.

From the prize money, you are paying all of the travel expenses for yourself and your coach and possibly trainer (which add up pretty fast when you are normally playing in a different tournament each week in a different city or country). Speaking of your coach, they usually get a 10% cut of your prize money right off the top. Add in medical expenses, equipment and various other expenses and your prize money is drained pretty quickly.

-Traveling and training expenses are only going to go up, with the increasing costs of flying and the increasing competition causing a need for more intensive coaching. There is no doubt that on a large-scale, these arrangements could change the economics of professional tennis.

On the surface this seems great, both investor and player make a large profit, but in the sport of tennis where the tournaments are basically non-stop for a majority of the year, a player could feel pressured into playing tournaments when they are injured in order to earn prize money. This would increase their earnings for that year, but would open them up for potentially turning their minor injury into a career threatening one.


Sorry for the multiple posts kelli, but you just touched on something that i have been thinking of for months now.

Orion- It is relative poverty. Kaka can make millions from Milan and Real. The lowest paid counterpart can survive and pay his bills. The same scenario does not hold true in tennis. Federer makes about 6 million, but Rubin cannot earn a living. That was my point, that the disparity doesn't just exist, it's career-killing. Thank you for your comment.

carrie- I have been to a handful of those events. From what I've seen, the investors give enough so the tournament can sustain itself. Players are given consideration, dead last. For a Satellite or a Future, you could be talking about earning less than $125 for a round or two, plus NO lodging. Many need the assistance of host families to help them out. Sure, they could absolutely do other things to supplement their income...but do they want to? Men are by and large defined by their career.

SP- I will try that approach. :) I completely agree that the top people should make the most, and said as much in another post. I'm only hoping that money can be found for any/everyone who has enough talent to make a living, but cannot if they are under-sponsored or under-employed. Some of the most talented musicians in the world- think deep south- are playing for peanuts. That has zero to do with their talent. Perhaps they don't know the right people, don't "look" the part or just weren't in the right place at the right time. They could sing and play circles around the likes of the Jonas Brothers though, who have the Disney machine pushing them.

FITG- What a great post, thank you. :) You nailed it- necessity is the mother of invention. Someone won't do for you, get out there and make it happen. The Querrey family is on to something.

And the lovely RQ- So nice to see you. Lol, yes I've put a temporary stop to the hibernation. You'll know all relevant details once Cheryl, Ricky and I have them.

RocketQueen and trixxyfest have returned! "My cup runneth over."

Great read, Kell :yeah:

Even if with a missleading title :((

Misleading title? That's what (*&^(&) wrote to me in his email. His words, not mine. Lol, thank you A- appreciated. :)

i can't stay if rocket wench is here, my skin will flake off. :D:D:D

acornescu is right i call a title full of bogus. the least you could do is tell who wrote the email so we can laugh at him. challenger guys have no more trouble getting laid then any other guy. one guy is a douche with no game, he won't get laid. one guy is cool he will. that has nothing to do with money, cuz i've know a bazillion guys who are broke who can pull any girl they want.
so who is this? i agree w whoever said it was an argie. you bleed argie fangirl fumes everywhere. is this coria? nyet he's married to some punch broad actress. maybe this is zabaleta or it's delputa in disguise. don't be a loser & name & shame.

I hold a person's privacy in the highest regard, trixxyfest. Request denied.

Once more, for those who may have missed the Tennis Talk Magazine announcement earlier. I've received some great material, but the TT family always has room for more-

We'll be launching Tennis Talk Magazine very soon! Are you a creative type/freelancer/stream of consciousness-er? Have something to say and want to be published? Submit your best work!

If you wish to contact me specifically, please do so at kelli@tennistalk.com.

Coverage will not be limited to the ATP, as we are set to include the fabulous ladies of the WTA as well. :)

booooooooooooooo xinfinity~!

300K over 5 years is really not the end of the world. There are people who work as hard and make way less.

this in at 6:30 your friend ratted on you kellina angelina. busted!!!!!!!!the email came from zabaleta

It's not the end of the world for people in the mainstream workforce, I agree. For a professional athlete to earn such a paltry figure over a 5-year period is not acceptable. A lot of the work they put in cannot be measured- training, practicing and discipline...you cannot use a person in a "regular" type occupation as a means of comparison. I know it sounds diabolical, but life isn't fair.

Hello trixxyfest. Hmm....a friend busted me and told you, yeah? Not much of a friend, then. :)

This sort of instance should not apply to professional athletes, Dear. The very nature of their profession warrant more compensatory relief. Had you been in the same boat, I'd gather you should feel the same.

Stupid danish people dont know english!! He is talking about himse;lf or what??

"You work with a mentally ill person. His mother and father thinks that he is mad. He is married to the devil. he must be stopped and I will not rest till the vermin is brought to justice!" - this is the translation of the earlier post.

Sad! If Mr.Arthritic hears of this, he will come and pull your __ over your head ok! Beware!! he is a superhero! SO why people have prob if murray is the richest player? he has earned it ok!!

Beautiful article...and sadly true...well done Kelli...
Gomuzza...who has problem with muzza??? What are you talking about? Who is muzza???

hello zare, i was talking to some person called spadea who was saying bad things in danish ok... those posts are deleted because they were so bad. That is why you cant understand anything ok. Muzza is Murray ok, everyone is saying it is bad he got money for winning, even in dubai everyone had problem but at least he doesn't hide from WADA ok? And he is the best.

GO Muzzzaaaa!!!

A mere 30 minutes later after the email was sent, Miss Rocket Queen. Interesting, no? ;)

Thank you for the lovely compliment, zare, I appreciate it.

Oh my Dear, indeed. LOL. Cheers.

How sad! They sould learn from Murray who was like also from poor family and became number 1 only because he was so talented!

@GoMuzza, i don't know about his background much but i had heard that he was a survivor of this massive Murder-massacre in which close to twenty kids were killed in a classroom shootout... But yes , inadvertently maybe, you have finally posted something that is a complimentary post in poor 'Muzza'.

Wow thanks for that 'goat'eee! Nice to know you are becoming Muzza fan!!

when did "Muzza" ever become #1, pray tell?

FedistheGoat: yes, that's true about the Dunblane massacre. Andy and Jamie were pupils at the school. For terrible moments his mum and grandparents thought they could be dead.

stu, British #1.

oops, thanks rfzr.

Altho I think he would rather be known as world #4 than British #1!

Not to take anything about your point about players on the Challenger circuit, but don't most of the players on the ATP circuit get sponsored by companies? I believe most of them use clothes/shoes/rackets from the companies on court, and that's not talking about anything they do off-court. I'd assume the same for some of the players straddling the line between the challenger and ATP circuits. Also, your comment about Federer seems a little misleading. It made it sound as though he only earned 6 million last year, but with all his endorsement deals he earned some crazy amount like 36 million or something. Besides that, Davydenko always seems to fly under the radar. Some players ranked lower than him (Verdasco for example) seem to get better treatment.

Put it this way - people who want a participate in a extravagant sport such like tennis etc, shouldn't be given freely the opportunity to travel until I believe a variable age of perhaps 16 upwards - for exactly that reason!!
It is not impossible for any kind of person to say 'NO' to temptation, for cryin' out loud - it's why they're there in the first place due to their ability plus knowledge, courage. Is important they know a bit about life before they attempt.
About the money - not a thing we can do if the boards decide on the amount. Take it or leave it. Most of the tours are labelled ATP ranks surely, so that is a chance at only two sets for the win. The big downcast might come by aiming at too many at once. Players could try a tour every three times - to catch on.

It sounds like you are just talking about life to me. Some people get scholarships to uni, some people work 6 jobs to save for it, others simply can't afford to go. Some people just get lucky in life. If challenger tour players can't afford to play well that's sad for them but it's reality. Not everyone has the skills, talent, or luck to make 6 million a year. Challenger tour players are still doing what they love, which is more than can be said for most people with day jobs.

Hi there CBS!!!!! - Wise words from you! I was wondering where you've been hiding and thought of your pleasure when Ernie won his first title. Your faith has been vindicated.

haha thanks man, if u wanna chat more i still have same email :)

sorry for being late on this but only just found the article:

"For a professional athlete to earn such a paltry figure over a 5-year period is not acceptable. A lot of the work they put in cannot be measured- training, practicing and discipline...you cannot use a person in a "regular" type occupation as a means of comparison. I know it sounds diabolical, but life isn't fair."

gee, go back a couple of decades and it was all amateur. These guys are living the dream trying to make it. There are thousands of wannabes in other professional sports who struggle as well. Nobody is forcing them to do it - they made the choice to go down this career path. A student doctor or lawyer has to go through several years of training with no money as well - if they are good enough, they might get a job at the end too. Sometimes it's life's way of saying you aren't good enough so go home and get a job...

actually federer gets more than 6 million, thats just his winning prize money. he gets a helluva lot more with his endorsements, i checked in sports illustrated federer got 45 million overall including winnings and endorsements in 2008, nadal got like 25 million. nadal's salry is probably higher after winning wimbledon and aussie open, he has got more sponsers i heard which will make him even richer.
federer probably earns well over 50 million by now after breaking the slam record.

I completely understand that, but consider how hard they work regardless. Even if a player is not at that top level, they've managed to separate themselves from your average, run-of-the-mill weekend warrior-type by a nautical mile. It's unfortunate that many professional players are unable to earn a living.

The responsibility (imo) lies at the feet of the ATP. You really don't hear about athletes in other sports, even the lowest ranked skill-level-wise, who can't support themselves financially.

Federer deserves the money. So does Nadal. I'm just lobbying for a chance for everyone to be paid something commensurate with their ability. Even if he's not in the top 100 or the top 1000, I'd like to think he could pay his heating bill every month, doing what he does best.

Thanks much for the comments. Enjoy Barca this week. :)

To Kelli and anyone else that support her line of thinking,

They should have a 2nd job to fall back on. No point going on about them not earning enough. This is sports, not brain surgery, and it doesn't actually contribute anything to society other than being a form of entertainment for spectators. If you think about it, there are professions out there like doctors and teachers who contribute for more important values to society but they don't get paid anywhere near what these top stars earn. Not saying they don't deserve good money but the amount is just obscene. Commercialism, capitalism... money...

cable: u make interesting points and I DO agree that the money can be obscene. I now read that the men and women's champs at Wimbledon will share 1million pounds! However, the shelf life of most sportspeople is very short, most have peaked by 30, in contrast doctors etc have the capacity to be high earners into their sixties. Also sportsmen like Raf n' Rog get far more in advertising revenue than they do in prize money.
Also, u could argue, rather cheekily, that watching Rafa play does far more for your well being than a visit to the doc's!

oh this is deuce's comment that fft quoted. hey deuce!!! how's ya man doing? any news? is he playing rome?

deuce, while their active shelf life may be short, they can still make a ton of money after they hang up their racquet... as long as they have had a succesful career. Post retirement career path may be as a commentator or coach.

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