Tennis stars to get £235k minimum wage as ATP take action after Djokovic threat

Tennis players are set to benefit from a new programme that would secure them a minimum wage of between £59,000-£235,000 ($75,000-$300,000) every year. It comes after Novak Djokovic called for his lower-ranked colleagues to receive financial protection. As part of the ATP’s new Baseline programme, stars will also receive money if they can’t play due to injury and when they break into the top 125 for the first time.

Djokovic has long been an advocate for better financial security in tennis – especially for those who are dramatically lower than him in the rankings and struggle to make a living. A former president of the ATP Player Council, he left his role in 2020 to create the Professional Tennis Players Association with Vasek Pospisil.

After being made aware of the pressures put on his lower-ranked colleagues, the 10-time winner of the Australian Open was accused of making an extraordinary threat of boycotting the 2019 tournament in Melbourne in a players’ council meeting unless prize money was increased.

He later denied such discussions, but his decision to create a breakaway association in 2020 spoke volumes. Although the world No 2 is no longer involved with the ATP through the council, his calls have finally been answered. The men’s tennis tour announced a new scheme on Tuesday that would guarantee a minimum wage for every singles player inside the world’s top 250.

Click here to join our WhatsApp community to be the first to receive breaking and exclusive tennis news

Just in Jack Draper ‘not out of the woods’ as British star makes injury comeback[LATEST]

Baseline will launch in 2024 as part of a three-year trial and has three branches – the first being a minimum wage programme. The ‘guaranteed base earnings’ section means that the ATP will step in to cover the rest of the funds for any player who does not earn the outlined minimum amount in a single season.

For the first trial season in 2024, players in the top 100 are guaranteed at least £253k ($300k) while players ranked 101-175 will have an assurance of £118k ($150k) and those ranked from 176-250 in the world will earn at least £59k ($75k). Players will also be covered by ‘injury protection’ if physical issues prevent them from competing.

Those who play less than nine tournaments across the ATP Tour and Challenger Tour circuits in a single season due to injury will also receive a minimum wage, stopping players from trying to return too early just to make a living. The threshold for players in the top 100 is £157k ($200k), players ranked 101-175 are guaranteed £79k ($100k) and those ranked 176-250 will have a safety net of £39k ($50k).

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Don’t miss…
Carlos Alcaraz’s coach shouted Zverev slur during tense Novak Djokovic clash[RECAP]
Emma Raducanu makes nod to Rafael Nadal while sharing summer plans[UPDATE]
Former French Open tennis star banned for life over match-fixing incidents[NEWS]

The final branch of the new scheme, ‘newcomer investment’, will help rising stars who break into the top 125 for the first time in their careers. The up-and-comers will receive £157k ($200k) of funding, paid in advance of the following season and offset against their prize money earnings.

Given that a lot of the players inside the world’s top 250 are expected to earn at least their minimum wage in a single season, the ATP is expecting that the new scheme will help between 30 to 45 players per season to give them better certainty, invest in their teams and help them focus on the sport and any recovery from injury.

World No 19 Grigor Dimitrov, who currently sits on the ATP Player Council, branded the scheme a “game-changer”. He said: “Knowing that we have a safety net through the minimum guarantee and injury protection pillars gives us peace of mind, allowing us to focus on our game and strive for success. This truly shows the ATP’s commitment to the players and the future of our sport.”

Djokovic is yet to comment on the announcement but the 23-time Grand Slam champion will likely welcome any financial security scheme. As well as the calls made via the PTPA, the Serb also called on his fellow top stars to donate funds to lower-ranked players during the Covid pandemic when competitive tennis was suspended.

Speaking on an Instagram Live at the time, Djokovic said: “I am really privileged to be able to use my status of being a top player that can, in this times, raise the awareness of players that are struggling. I personally have earned enough money to live for many more years without playing tennis.”

Source: Read Full Article