Tennis is a sport that is enjoyed by millions of players around the world. From players in their local park against friends all the way up to the professionals winning Grand Slam events, this is a game enjoyed by people of all levels. But how do the best players make money from their players, especially those that are good enough to be professional, but not quite good enough to win regular events.
Tournament Prize Money
The key to tennis players making money is the way that the prize money is shared around in tournaments. Those who only win one game and then lose in the next round will still earn a considerable amount of money, usually with thousands of dollars on offer for those players. The prize money keeps rising as the tournament progresses, with over $1 million on offer for the winner and runner up in big tournaments. In the 2018 US Open, the winner took home nearly $4 million while the runner up took home half of that, with a total prize fund for the tournament of over $40 million.
The key to making money as a tennis player is the fact that if players struggle are at the lower end of the scale they can pick up regular wins by winning one or two games at each tournament. Those who are at the upper end have the chance to win big money every time they enter a tournament and they don’t need to enter as many because of that, if they happen to win just one big event like the US Open above they have a huge pay day. Injuries can play a part in this too, players need to remain fit and if they pick up an injury, it could prevent them from making any money.
It is often the same players who challenge for the big titles, the best of the best and you only have to look at the betting markets ahead of big tournaments to see that. The best tennis betting sites offer odds well in advance for the big events and when you look down the list of players involved, the same names will show for most is not all the events, there is a small pool capable of winning the very big prizes in this sport.
Endorsements
Sponsorship deals in any sector are huge, but sports men and women are some of the most frequently called upon to do this, giving tennis players another way to generate income. From being involved with the promotion of products through advertising to something as simple as wearing a particular brand while they are playing tennis and sitting in press conferences, this is a great way for tennis players to take home more money.
As with any other sector, the bigger and more prominent name you have in the sport, the more you will be paid for these deals, the top players are in demand while those at the bottom of the ladder will take whatever is on offer. Even if this is just free products to use while playing such as clothing or a racket with a small payment on top, this is something that all tennis players can take advantage of and use it to help them make a living.