Making progress – ATP and WTA finalizing funding for players

The player relief fund in tennis has started to make progress. Both the ATP and WTA have notified players on the exact amount of relief they will be receiving.

All ATP players ranked 101st though 500th will receive $8,650 in two installments of $4,325. All doubles players ranked 51st through 175th will receive a total amount of $4,325. Singles players ranked between 175 and 400 are not eligible to receive any extra funding they may get from playing in the various exhibition tournaments that have popped up over the last few weeks as part of the (RE)Open 2020.

ATP players who have earned more than $250,000 in the last year or more than $1 million in the last four are not eligible for relief. Suspended players aren’t eligible either, regardless of their ranking.

The WTA has a different approach, granting a maximum of $10,400 to all players ranked higher than 500 in singles and 175 in doubles. In order for players to receive the max, they must have competed in at least 6 tournaments in the last year, with one of them being a Grand Slam event. If not, the player will receive $5,200.

There’s been much debate about the extending of player funds to those ranked below 500th. In the WTA, it was unanimously agreed upon that players ranked below 500 shouldn’t receive funds.

"“If the money is from the Grand Slams, it should go firstly to players who play them,” Krunic said on the topic. “If you have been 500th for a lot of years, you’re going to be in the red, you have to expect that. We’ve all been in that position. It’s the responsibility of the players to understand their positions.”"

The ITF has responded and plans to offer its support in aiding players ranked 501st-700th that aren’t covered in the other relief programs set by the ATP and WTA.

"“We are doing everything within our power to ensure that the talented players climbing the ITF pathway receive the support they need,” said ITF president David Haggerty in a recent statement."

The ATP, WTA, ITF and Grand Slams had already announced that the relief fund will total $6 million dollars in funds to be given out to players on the various tours.