We know that that life on the tennis fringes is tough. You need to have a very high talent level to be in the top small percentage that can financially carve a living in pro tennis. As Naomi Cavaday said, there are in effect 100 jobs in (singles) tennis. For the players who make up the pro ranks, there are at least two situations:
a) You believe you have a realistic chance that you can get up there and make living out of tennis based on indications in your junior and pro tournaments career.
b) You play because you love tennis and indulge in what is an expensive jet-setting hobby because it is a life that pleases you and have no illusions that you are a small upturn in form from becoming the next Rafa Nadal.
It's an individual sport. Everyone's motivations and relationship with the sport may be deeply private and personal, the seeds planted by and driven by matters not apparent to outsiders or communicated in interviews.
But I'm curious because when some British players talk about the tough realities of tennis, they do it in such a grounded and eye open way that it makes their continued presence on the tour somewhat mysterious when you consider the unpromising statistics of their junior careers and professional results. I'm not talking about young players who showed lots of promise and were then tragically hit by injury or illness. I'm referring to low caliber players whose results never gave, and do not give, any sane person who knows about tennis reason to think the player would be able to make a living from the ultra competitive professional tour.
So say there is a player in their early-mid 20's who persisting at ITF level when just about every other young player of their caliber came to the conclusion at 18 that pro tennis wasn't going to be a realistic chance of a living for them and took a different path. When there is an interview with such a player ranked 500-ish in the world, talking about the other side of tennis away from the glamour, and how how tough it is, what do you think?
You may always wish them well but do they get your admiration or sympathy? And do you think such a player who has taken that path is broadly deserving of those things from people?
Travelling the world meeting new and interesting people, learning to think on one's feet plan and execute complicated travel arrangements, organising life in general all backed up by doing something that one has a talent for.
Even if you don't make a good living, it sounds like a job that many, many young people would aspire to. None of this chucking it all in a rucksack and going off on a gap year funded solely by mum and dad, but doing something with a purpose and at least partially self-funding it without doing grape picking or whatever.
-- with the prospect - however unlikely - that it may all end up with the equivalent of a lottery win (qv Mr Evans, Ms Broady) or with a decently paid job in the higher echelons of some global sports PR firm.
Yes, of course you will find moans along the way and particularly if it is financially tough with often less than salubrious surroundings in front of a handful of soectators
But I do think for many being so good at tennis ( and the low ranked are still very good ) and being able to play it as a career ( even if needing to be backed up ) and try to be all you can be must really draw you in and keep you trying.
I think that applies across sport. I lacked the dedication, OK more any modicum of ability, but if I had both at a sport I can see how it could pull me in to really just want to keep trying to reach wherever I could in that sport. And when it does go well, no doubt such pleasure, and when it doesn't try and do better next time.
Admiration, you have around 45 years on this Earth having to earn a living, why not spend 10 years giving it a go, for that small chance of glory and riches. The Marcus Willis story has shown what can be achieved, £1m plus in off court earnings in not even one year. You've got to be in the game to win it.
a career as a professional athlete is going to be short anyway, so if you're lucky enough to get the opportunity to have one then you owe it to yourself to stick with it for as long as you can
I don't see tennis as different from many other sports where viewing figures are such that very few can earn a living. Very few hockey players make a living unless they ply their trade on ice, similar county cricketers historically worked during the winter. If you love your sport and are up for it why not.
For the more broad minded the opportunities to travel while playing competitive tennis are fantastic, as long as you go into the business with your eyes open and essentially it's an entertainment bussinees, understand your talent level and potential and you won't be disappointed.
I don't see Marcus or Naomi as being lucky in any shape or form, they are both naturally more gifted then a significant number of players earning a very good living. Maturity and capacity to optimise potential come to some earlier than others and some not at all.
No sympathy, a modicum of envy perhaps, I personally love what I do for a living, the reality of a short career and the long term wear and tear implications of being a professional sportsman (never an option for me) don't compare with an enjoyable job and the fun and relaxation afforded by playing sport for fun!
