‘That’s with the NBA, MLB’: Billie Jean King, ATP Chairman, and Tennis Pros Talk About the Sad Side of Tennis

Ever since the global pandemic shook the world in 2020, the sport of tennis has struggled financially. Not only has the WTA struggled to make money, but the ATP has not had the best year either.

Tennis professionals have suffered financially owing to the pandemic. However, even before 2020, the situation for lower-ranked players was not all that good.

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Lower-ranked tennis players can barely make ends meet

It is no secret that the top few players are the ones who get paid the most. “It’s the top three or four men and women that drive ticket sales,” Billie Jean King, founder of the WTA said.

The top tennis players earn millions of dollars in prize money and sponsorship deals. Conversely, lower-ranked players get very little help. At best, they get grassroots funding or free rackets and apparel through social media promotion.

However, the majority of their earnings come from winning matches only. From the top 500, almost 1/4th of the men and 1/3rd earned less than $50,000 this year.

Andrea Gaudenzi, the chairman of the ATP, very clearly states the truth about the current monetary situation in tennis. “At the moment, the total revenue generated and what we distribute in prize money, doesn’t allow for the second tier to have players that can make a living and sustain the cost.”

Some players, like World No. 128 Liam Brody, agree that the biggest and best players should get the bigger rewards. However, he voices out his opinion through a suggestion, too. “But just maybe (give them) a little bit less and they share the rest of the money.”

The ATP and the WTA are looking to merge

Dave Haggerty, the president of the International Tennis Federation, opines that tennis stakeholders have made real efforts “in distributing the money so that more players are able to make proper earning.”

Billie Jean King wishes to have 700-800 players earning well in tennis. “That would make me happy because that’s with the NBA. That’s Major League Baseball,” she says.

Gaudenzi talks about a potential merger between the men’s and women’s tours. “I’m a very strong believer that the two tools should be combined because together we are stronger,” he says. Haggerty echoes his belief by saying, “We shouldn’t be competing with one another, we should be competing with the outside world.”

Earlier this month, the ATP hired financial advisors Rothschild to aid discussions for the merger. Similarly, the WTA has hired Allen & Co. for the same.

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