Noah Rubin knew that he had reached the limits of his east.
From the high of winning the Wimbledon Junior title in 2014 and winning a successful first year as a professional tennis player, from 2018, the American felt that his career was spiral downwards. Alone in a Spanish hotel room, he had gone out of a lower level challenger tournament in the qualifying round, losing to a rival.
Rubin told DW, “I was crying historically with all the lights.” “I am just like this: ‘What am I doing here? Is there any real true happiness and stability in this game?” And I think we got to answer: ‘No, not there.’ ,
Rubin’s story is the rule rather than exception in tennis, which is considered a glamorous and attractive game. The reality, however, is often the opposite.
Every year, hundreds of players stay away on professional circuits, travel from tournament to tournament, while struggling to end. Many people also do not win enough prize money to offset their costs.
“It ends with anxiety and depression,” said Rubin. “How dark it is to travel to some unknown places by yourself, Ether is trying to find any means of happiness or comfort, knowing that you are about the hop in this court and not only you have to match, but you have to go, through.”
The group of Djokovic is suit for better salary
In Wimbledon, one of the four Grand Slam Tourments of Tennis, the male and female champion will pocket £ 3 million (€ 3,52 million, $ 4,12 million) in prize money this year. Even a player who loses in the first round will take the house £ 66,000.
However, outside the thesis major tourrants, picking is very slimmer.
“If you do not do well in a Grand Slam, you are not earning money,” said Rubin, who hit a career of World No. 125 before retiring last year.
Poor player salary is one of the reasons why the independent group is sueing the professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), tennis governing bodies. The organization, which was co-installed by Novak Djokovic, wants to completely change the method of operating the game.
For PTPA, earning 70% of the world’s top 1,000 times and women players earns $ 50,000 per year in prize money; 80% less of that group earns what their weather cost is.
The PTPA argues that players should get a large piece of tournament revenue, claiming that they currently have only 17% found. In the NBA and NHL in the United States, for example, basketball and ice hockey players get half of their league revenue.
PTPA Executive Director Ahmed Nasar told DW, “The player compare in every game in every game in terms of remuneration.”
Players should whisk for the subject
Unlike their counterparts in the top American sports leagues, whose salary is interacted through collective bargaining, professional tennis players are effectively freelancers, earning based on their performance and covering their own expenses. Flights to the thesis, and their aids include the residence and salary of the team.
Rubin estimates that the cost of hiring a coach and physio is $ 5,000 per week. But a poor run of the form can increase the spirit of despair. Sometimes, to save money, go without the temple.
“When you have some bad weeks, you like: ‘What am I paying for?” “29 -year -old said.” This is not a personal attack on the coach who is with you. I am losing and I am losing money for him.
“You constantly fight this difficult battle of the ranking system. It is ending. And to deal with injuries on top, deal with the finance and travel to deal with what you have to do.
PTPA wants ‘real and linting change’
The PTPA suit, which he filed in March 2025, accused the tennis governing bodies of acting like “cartel”, among other things to keep the player’s earnings low.
Nasar said, “We are taking this bitter medicine right now, due to which we were expected to avoid all, but things were not changing.” “We think it will be a catalyst for real and loading changes, not only in the next few years, but for a long race.”
The ATP and WTA tours, which run men and women’s tennis respectively, have thrown the case, complaining that it is “completely without qualification” (ATP) and “regrettable and misguided” (WTA). Defending the throats, both tourism pointed to various financial benefits for players introduced in recent years.
For example, the “baseline” program of ATP provides a level, guaranteed income for male players up to 250 in the world. The lowest category people receive a minimum annual income of $ 100,000.
Nasar questioned how many players would be able to live life with real search programs. “The players are sick and are tied to listening to listening plateaus, which look good, but have no effect in the real world,” Heer said.
Rubin: ‘Very few people make it’
Rubin, who is one of the 12 current and former players as a plaintiff in the PTPA trial, says he is grateful Tennis tolerated her for opportunities and experiences, but she believes that the game needs to be clear about the cost and sacrifices involved.
“Tell us that we are not going to make money,” said. “Tell us that this is going to be a tremendous difficult fight.
“My whole new thing is redefining success as a tennis player. Nobody makes it, okay? There are some people who do it. Percent are so small.”
Edited by: Chak Penfold.
