Title: How to achieve a sustainable circuit for professional tennis players?

Authors: Matteo Balliauw; Thomas Verlinden; Tomas Van Den Spiegel; Jani Van Hecke

Addresses: Department of Transport and Regional Economics, Universiteit Antwerpen, Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium ' Department of Transport and Regional Economics, Universiteit Antwerpen, Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium ' Department of Transport and Regional Economics, Universiteit Antwerpen, Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium ' Department of Transport and Regional Economics, Universiteit Antwerpen, Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium

Abstract: Professional tennis players outside the top 250 find it difficult to cover expenses. This poses a risk of losing young talents and encompasses match fixing incentives. This paper defines a financially sustainable professional tennis circuit from a player's perspective. Current prize money income distributions and players' costs are quantified. Subsequently, measures to improve the players' financial positions are defined, based on 14 semi-structured interviews. This paper recommends that professional players should compete in fewer tournaments for increased and more horizontally-distributed prize money. To guarantee the future of the sport, a development track for young talented players is proposed too.

Keywords: tennis; income inequality; sustainable professional circuit; athlete development; sports organisation and management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2023.133162

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2023 Vol.23 No.5, pp.391 - 418

Received: 07 Jan 2022
Received in revised form: 29 Jun 2022
Accepted: 27 Jul 2022
Published online: 01 Sep 2023 *

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