For Mackenzie McDonald the players’ ongoing push for greater prize money and welfare contributions from the grand slam tournaments could result in the difference between simply putting food on the table and making a decent living. After 10 years on the ATP Tour the 31-year-old American tennis veteran is not pleading poverty but knows from personal experience that life on the professional circuit can be a hand-to-mouth existence, with players’ physical and mental welfare often compromised due to their desperation to get back on court. In the course of an hour-long conversation from the Cincinnati Open, where he lost in the first qualifying round, McDonald keeps returning to the point that many of his peers at the US Open will be playing despite carrying serious injuries because of their need for a pay cheque.
With first-round losers in the men’s and women’s singles to receive a record $140,000 many will not blame them, although in a sport with a more coherent financial structure and generous welfare provision such sacrifices might not be necessary. Despite combined annual revenues of more than $2bn the four grand slams do not provide a formal contribution to player welfare or pensions, although the US Tennis Association (USTA) made a potentially significant first step last week by committing $2m to a new player support programme. They want to get an apartment and they want to pay their team – a coach, physio, trainer.
It’s the difference between putting food on the table and making a living. That’s what’s at stake for some people.” Much of the lobbying for the slams to increase their prize pots to 22% of revenues, from the current position of about 15%, has come from global stars such as Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka due to their public profile, but McDonald provides a more compelling case than the gripes of multimillionaires. With total earnings of more than $7m he is unlikely to be on the bread line at present, but has been at various points in his career, while seemingly high income levels ignore the fact that all players are responsible for their travel and coaching costs, plus those of their often large entourages.
I know for a fact that only 88 players last year made a million dollars. But that’s before taxes and all your costs, which are very significant. I became a master of travel cheat codes, but you also have to pay for your performance team, whether that’s a strength and conditioning coach, a physio, psychologist or your main coach.
After breaking into the world’s top 50 for the first time in 2019 he missed most of the season after sustaining a serious hamstring injury at the French Open, with his comeback derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic the following year. I was lucky that it was 2019 and the medics had the knowledge of how to fix the injury. You could have a really good year and make say seven figures, but then you get injured and you’re not earning anything.
This year I’ve lost my bag multiple times and had to fly around the world with no possessions. If you get off the hamster wheel you’re not making money. When you’re on the hamster wheel you’ve got to keep going.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
