Thiem Reveals financial Pressures Crippling Young Tennis Players: “It’s For The Rich”
VIENNA – Dominic thiem, the 2020 Australian Open finalist and 17-time ATP tour title winner, has shed light on the exorbitant costs associated with developing into a professional tennis player, stating the system effectively excludes those without important financial backing. “It is for the rich. From 13 to 18 years old you have to spend a million euros,” Thiem asserted, highlighting the need for financial support and the risks inherent in securing it.
Thiem detailed a common practice where private investors provide funding - often between €50,000 and €100,000 annually – to promising young players in exchange for a percentage of their future earnings, capped at a maximum amount. He himself participated in such an arrangement at age 15 or 16, receiving €80,000 per year and beginning repayment at 21 as his earnings increased. He likened these agreements to a “mortgage racket,” involving a term, capital repayment, and interest.
The Austrian player emphasized that published tournament winnings are misleading, citing that a £65,000 check from Wimbledon can quickly diminish by 60% due to taxes in both the host country and the player’s country of residence, alongside expenses for coaching, physiotherapy, travel, and equipment. Even sponsorship deals, which include a fixed annual “retainer” and performance-based bonuses, are vulnerable to reduction with ranking declines or injuries.
Throughout his career, Thiem earned US$30,381,559 in tournament prize money, a figure he noted is subject to considerable tax deductions.He twice reached the final of Roland Garros (2018, 2019) and the final of the Australian Open (2020). The system, he suggests, mirrors similar financial pressures experienced in Argentina since the 1990s.
