Tennis is a nest of snakes and the latest ATP payout plans prove it

Nick Kyrgios called the ATP initiative «still not enough» Credit: AP/Florian Eisel

New system designed to provide financial security to players the ATP tour — by establishing a guaranteed minimum income for the year — caused controversy in the game.

Nick Kyrgios, last year's Wimbledon finalist, called the Baseline initiative «still not enough» and British coach Calvin Betton told Telegraph Sport: «It's targeting the wrong people: it's those outside the top rankings.» . 250 people really need help.”

Meanwhile, the chief executive of Novak Djokovic's rival players' union, the Association of Professional Tennis Players, has claimed responsibility for the development, suggesting it was the result of pressure from his organization. As always, tennis remains a snake nest of competing interests, making it impossible to please everyone.

Staff at the Tennis Professionals Association spent most of the summer developing the terms for the Baseline project, which offers a $300,000 (£237,000) guaranteed minimum annual income for top 100 players. There are two more groups that reach the 250th place in the world, with minimum payouts of $150,000 and $75,000, respectively.

While some might argue that any support from travel professionals is an advantage, there will always be debate over who deserves the most support. Speaking to Telegraph Sport, Betton said: «You really need the money if you place between 250 and 600. I also think it's quite funny that the ATP announcement had a quote from Grigor Dimitrov [former world number three]. It's like asking Tom Cruise to talk about the struggles of an actor in trouble.»

Another coach, who asked not to be named, said the amounts offered were unlikely to change much — because «to be eligible for the payout, you're going to have to have a terrible year.» The same coach also wondered if the ATP is looking for a positive perspective to counter the PTPA, a rival players' union founded in 2019 by Djokovic and Canadian professional Vasek Pospisil that seeks to expand its public profile.

But the coach also acknowledged that the baseline is still an exploratory step. «It's a three-year trial,» they said, «so I'm hoping after reviewing the data for a season or two, the ATP finds that they can afford to be a little more generous with the scheme.» /p>

Telegraph Sport initially revealed plans for the Baseline project at the end of April. The idea is similar to the system recently introduced by the PGA Golf Tour, and as we reported at the time, “The two sports are increasingly merging ideas about how to take care of their players, especially after the wake-up call that is the breakaway from LIV Golf. '.

However, since the spring, the prospect of a dramatic Middle East intervention in tennis has faded into the background, despite (or perhaps because of) the likelihood that the next generation ATP finals will end in Jeddah this year. To the best of Telegraph Sport's knowledge, an announcement about this should be made in the coming days.

A more immediate threat, from the ATP's point of view, is the possibility that a majority of the tour's players may decide to join the PTPA. If that were to happen, these players could potentially ask PTPA to negotiate on their behalf at Grand Slams, thus undermining the credibility of the ATP.

In a post on X, previously Twitter, PTPA Chief Executive Ahmad Nassar wrote : «In light of today's news on the ATP core program…external pressure from the independent players' association is good for the players and the sport!»

As for the issue of ranked players, that's good too. Baseline support is low, Betton said: “Tennis has fewer pros making a living than any other major sport – probably only 250, so it’s surprising to me that the ATP guarantees money to those in the 250 and no one.” outside of it.»

But the ATP could reasonably answer that the top 250 players in the world are those who play in its tournaments — be it the Challenger Tour or the full ATP circuit. Those ranked below 250 are more likely to participate in the International Tennis Federation tour of the future. As always, the fragmented management of tennis creates difficulties across the board.