America’s No.3 Reilly Opelka once again took a dig at the ATP for asking the top 100 players to donate money for the lower-ranked players when they themselves have taken 100 percent pay cut during the coronavirus hiatus.

The players at the lower-echelons often make a living from their weekly earnings. Consequently, these players are struggling financially due to the coronavirus pandemic. Subsequently, the President of the ATP player council Novak Djokovic planned the Player Relief Fund program to help these players financially.

The top 100 players along with the ATP, WTA, ITF, and the boards of the four Grand Slams contributed in this program and raised $6 million to be distributed among 800 players ranked below 250 in the world.

While Opelka supports the Player Relief Fund, he believes that a player ranked below 500 are saving traveling and tournament registration costs in this period. But the players ranked between 115 to 500 are paying their coaches and physios and they should be the ones to be helped during the global crisis.

“It’s actually shocking that it hasn’t been addressed more” – Reilly Opelka

Opelka is glad that some of the players are trying to organize a relief fund for other players. However, he feels this is not something that should fall to the players to have to do in the first place.

“Players should never pay other players. But given the mess that we’re in, it seems necessary, it seems like it’s their only hope. So I somewhat support the Player Relief Fund. I think there’s plenty of guys I know that are 115 in the world that are paying for a coach and physio, trying to do things the right way, extremely professional, that are hurting the most, actually,” Opelka told the Racquet Magazine.

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The American explained that he doesn’t think giving a $10,000 check to a guy 650 in the world or 700 is disrespectful at all. However, he explicated that guys ranked below 500 are saving money in this time period. They’re actually saving money by not traveling and playing.

“I think protecting the guys from 100 to 400 should be the number one priority. I don’t think, as an ATP exec, you should be supportive of asking your players to pay for other players when you haven’t even taken a pay cut yourself when we players have taken a 100% pay cut,” he added.

“That’s completely wrong. It’s actually shocking that it hasn’t been addressed more. The PGA execs took pay cuts right away, the WTA, the ITF, the USTA,” Opelka concluded.

“The ATP Will Make More Money Than Roger Federer” – Reilly Opelka

The ATP should certainly use this extended coronavirus break to find a solution for the lower-ranked players so that these players do not struggle to make a living while playing the sport.