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‘You’re either a Tennis Star or You’re Starving’ – American Sensation Frances Tiafoe Sheds Light on the Saddening Reality of Lower-Ranked Players in a Gripping Confession

Published 10/17/2023, 6:17 AM EDT

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When it comes to the life of a tennis player, we mostly imagine players who have lots of money, have huge brand deals and sponsorships, and are very successful in their careers as a player. But, it is always the case? Are tennis players really that successful? American tennis sensation Frances Tiafoe gives his honest verdict on the case.

In a recent video shared on YouTube, Frances Tiafoe shares the dark side of tennis that many might not be aware of. He reflects on how difficult it is for the lower-ranked players to earn a basic living through tennis.

Frances Tiafoe reflects on the reality of tennis players

Frances Tiafoe sheds light on the often-overlooked challenges faced by lower-ranked professional tennis players. In a world where many think that the life of a tennis player may be glamorous, the American sensation reflects on the challenges that most of the lower-ranked players face.

One common misconception that tennis fans have is that all professional players enjoy a life of financial stability. However, Tiafoe’s insight reveals that this is far from the truth. While the Roger Federer and Serena Williams of the sport may secure lucrative endorsement deals and hefty prize money, there exists a vast majority of talented players who just earn enough to make ends meet.

“Good, top players that don’t get any sniffs from any real endorsement deals because they’re not “cool”. They’re quality players and they do what they do at high levels. I think that’s why there’s a misconception because they don’t see any of the bad parts but you only see the Wimbledon final, the crowds and think that’s tennis but nah. It takes a lot to get to that point. I mean Kobe’s dad said it best You’re either a tennis star or you’re starving,” said Tiafoe in the interview.

These players may not possess the ‘cool‘ factor that sponsors seek, but they are high-caliber players nonetheless. Their exceptional skills and dedication often go unnoticed because they are not the faces that dominate magazine covers or television screens.

Thus, the problems shared by Frances Tiafoe have been a real challenge for the tennis world. Recently, a lower-ranked Indian tennis player came ahead and shared his views on the same while reflecting on the struggles that he went through.

Top-ranked Indian tennis player reflects on the difficulties that he had to go through this year

In a recent revelation, Sumit Nagal, the top-ranked Indian tennis player came ahead and shared the difficulties that he had to face this year. Currently ranked 159th in the world, he said that even after playing multiple tournaments, he still has the same amount of money in his bank account that he had at the start of this year.

With 900 euros at the start of the year, he still had the same amount of money in his bank account. As his story went viral, Gatorade, a multi-billion dollar brand came in and offered financial aid to the player. Thus, as Frances Tiafoe said, it is not that easy to be a tennis player. It is only a few that can actually survive in tennis while making a good amount of money.

What are your views on this? Please let us know in the comments below!

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Written by:

Akshat Gaur

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Akshat Gaur is a Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in 2021 and has been writing since then. With over two years of experience in the world of sports journalism, specifically tennis journalism, Akshat is someone who is immensely passionate about covering the ATP and the WTA Tour.
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Edited by:

Aishwary Gaonkar