It is not unknown that the pandemic outbreak rioted the world. Consequently, tennis players also faced many challenges, such as significant prize cuts. Recently, Tennis Australia successfully hosted the Australian Open 2021.
However, it cost them a fortune and therefore they had to cut prizes for the best players. The same will also continue in the first Master’s 1000 tournament of the season, the Miami Open 2021.
For this reason, John Isner was furious and blamed the ATP for it. John Isner compares tennis to NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA Isner’s complaint came in response to the Miami Open’s decision to cut a 60% prize money.
Additionally, tournament champions will see an 80% cut compared to 2019. He tweeted, “ATP is a broken system. Players and tournaments as ‘partners’ should work together, but 60% off and 80% champions at one of our biggest events that has recently approved TV, data, sponsorship and game revenue intact , it is not an association at all.
“After that, the 35-year-old shed light on how big events don’t have a true auditing system. Also, he compared the sport to others like the NBA, MLB, NHL, and PGA.
John Isner clarified: “Tennis is run as an intramural sport. Not comparing income / popularity to those sports, but taking a look at their structure, talent representation, and income percentage models.
Tennis is fraught with conflict and lack of transparency. “He also said that promoters own assets that they appreciate and have infinite time to monetize that asset, while players have little time to maximize their talents.
The American tennis player continued: “So the players should get a 60% cut and an 80% cut for the champions while the ATP executives keep all the salaries, benefits and expense accounts? Make that make sense.
It seems a bit hypocritical, don’t you think? Still, there is not much a player can do under these circumstances. But it does highlight the struggles of a professional athlete on a tennis tour amid the pandemic.
However, there is a silver lining to the Miami Open situation. It is that Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will unite and compete for the title.
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