A tennis star has argued that players lower down the ATP rankings would earn more by packing in their careers.
Tennis star Karue Sell has hit out at the prize money available to lower-ranked players on the ATP tour and called on Novak Djokovic’s union to demand ‘change’. The Brazilian has broken into the world’s top 300 for the first time in his career but has earned only £18,000 ($25,000) this year.
Sell, who also earns an income through documenting his career on YouTube, insists tennis has outgrown the traditional top 100 and players further down the ATP leaderboard deserve better pay.
The 30-year-old is now ranked 299th in the world after reaching the semi-final at the Las Vegas challenger event last week. But he has claimed he could earn more by packing in his tennis career for a role at McDonald’s and wants the Djokovic-founded Professional Tennis Players’ Association to step in.
“Today I broke 300 for the first time. Yet I’d make more money working at McDonald’s,” he wrote on X alongside a crying-laughing emoji.
Karue Sell, a Brazilian tennis player who recently broke into the ATP’s top 300 for the first time, has publicly voiced his frustration over the prize money available to lower-ranked players. Despite reaching a career milestone by being ranked 299th after a semi-final finish at the Las Vegas challenger event, Sell claims the earnings from tennis aren’t enough to support players in his position. So far in 2024, he has earned only £18,000 (about $25,000), a figure he says pales in comparison to what he could earn working at McDonald’s.
Sell, who supplements his income by documenting his tennis journey on YouTube, has highlighted the stark financial contrast between the sport’s top and lower-tier players. He argues that tennis has evolved beyond its traditional top 100 earners and that players ranked lower should receive more substantial compensation for their efforts on the ATP Tour. According to him, the financial gap makes it difficult for players ranked outside the top tiers to sustain their careers, especially considering the costs associated with training, traveling, and competing.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sell expressed his disillusionment by humorously stating that despite his breakthrough into the top 300, he would earn more working a minimum-wage job. His post, which included a crying-laughing emoji, was a striking commentary on the pay disparity in professional tennis. While top-ranked players like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal earn millions in prize money and sponsorships, those lower in the rankings face a starkly different reality.
Sell’s comments have reignited discussions surrounding player compensation and the financial struggles faced by lower-ranked players on the ATP Tour. He has called for Novak Djokovic’s Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) to intervene and demand changes in the distribution of prize money. Sell’s stance sheds light on an issue that has long been debated in tennis circles: the uneven financial landscape that leaves many players outside the elite struggling to make a living.
Sell’s call for reform isn’t an isolated opinion. Many tennis professionals have echoed similar sentiments over the years, pushing for a more equitable share of the sport’s revenues, particularly as tennis becomes more global and its fanbase expands. Lower-tier players often face significant challenges, such as paying for their own travel, accommodation, coaches, and medical support, expenses that quickly eat into their modest earnings from smaller tournaments. This can make pursuing a full-time career in tennis financially unfeasible for many talented athletes.
Novak Djokovic, through his involvement with the PTPA, has previously advocated for more support for lower-ranked players. The PTPA, founded by Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, seeks to address the concerns of players who may not have the same representation and financial backing as the sport’s superstars. Sell’s public remarks add fuel to the ongoing conversation around prize money distribution and whether tennis is doing enough to support the development and sustainability of its professional ranks beyond the top 100.
This issue also underscores the broader challenges faced by professional athletes in individual sports like tennis, where only the very best are able to secure lucrative sponsorships and prize money. For players like Sell, whose rankings may fluctuate between events and who lack consistent high-profile tournament wins, the financial strain is real. With such disparities, some players have chosen to leave the sport or pursue alternative careers, a trend Sell suggests might be the only financially viable option for many in his position.
Sell’s statement calling for more equitable pay is likely to resonate with many lower-ranked players, who, like him, have dedicated their lives to the sport but struggle to make ends meet. As tennis continues to expand globally and attract more revenue through media rights, sponsorships, and global tournaments, the question remains whether this financial growth will trickle down to the sport’s hardworking but lesser-known competitors.
In a sport as physically and mentally demanding as tennis, where athletes invest years of training and sacrifice, Sell’s perspective highlights the need for meaningful changes to ensure that talent and dedication are properly rewarded, regardless of rank.