The struggles of tennis players outside world's top 100

At Wimbledon this year, champion Jannik Sinner walked away with US$4 million. But for players who were eliminated in the first round, $90,000 of prize money is a fortune for them. But those earnings are reserved for a select few who qualify for Grand Slams, according to CBS Sports.

However, not everyone gets to play at Grand Slam tournaments like Wimbledon or other competitions of the ATP Tour. With limited slots and fierce competition, the majority of players spend the year at smaller events with modest prize pool, often struggling to break even after travel, accommodation and training costs.

Japanese player Taro Daniel, currently around world number 150, knows this reality well, having been through ups and downs for over a decade of his career. Daniel's biggest payday came at the 2022 Australian Open, when he beat Andy Murray to reach the third round and earn nearly $150,000 for a week of work.

Taro Daniel (R) hugs Novak Djokovic after defeating him in the second round of the Indian Wells Masters in California in March 2018. Photo by Reuters

Yet, that cheque couldn't make Daniel change his usual frugal lifestyle. Like many other players in his ranking, Daniel spends most of the season in shared hotel rooms, carefully budgeting meals, even though nutrition is arguably the most important thing with athletes nowadays. They tried their best on the court but received more defeats than wins, meaning less prize money, while their bank accounts kept getting smaller every week.

"When I was younger, I even wouldn't get the avocado on my Chipotle order because it's like three dollars more," Daniel, 32, told Financial Times. When you try to save too much it ends up impacting people's games negatively."

In the first half of 2025, Daniel earned $180,000 in prize money, but taxes, travel and coaching bills consumed nearly all of it.

"That figure you see, is super not real," Daniel added. "First of all, you're earning all of this money from foreign countries so they're going to take all the withholding taxes from [it]. Then, tournaments cover your hotel room, but they don't cover your coach's hotel room."

A coach traveling with Daniel at his current ranking level would earn a minimum salary of $50,000, plus a 10% commission on prize money.

"So, for a basic-level coach, not necessarily super experienced, it would be at least $100,000 per season," he said. "My credit card statement, it's at least $20,000 a month on just operational expenses of hotel, food, flights and not including the salaries I pay to my team... As a tennis player you're like a small company, but having all your employees traveling all the time."

The high costs force players like Daniel to be strategic and careful when planning their schedules. For them, tournament selection often comes down to whether the potential prize money can match the travel expenses. Last-minute flight bookings, due to dependence on match results, can push costs even higher. For example, traveling with a small team between the Indian Wells and Miami Masters tournaments can cost about $2,000 one way. Daniel said he is "scared" to calculate how much he must spend on travel.

Dustin Brown (L) shakes hands with Rafael Nadal after defeating him in the second round of the 2015 Wimbledon. Photo by Reuters

Some players have taken extreme measures to save money.

Dustin Brown famously spent three seasons traveling and sleeping in a camper van. British player Billy Harris, who reached the quarterfinals at the Queen’s Club Championships last year, lived in a van for more than three years, driving across Europe to compete in lower-tier tournaments, even carrying a racket stringing machine with him.