The rulebook of the National Collegiate Athletic Association stipulates how college athletes can and cannot earn money. However, one such rule has likely cost the 19-year-old American college tennis star, Reese Brantmeier, almost $50,000 in US Open prize money, as she has now further decided to fight back.

The NCAA rules allow a quarterback, or any other sort of athlete, to collect payments in exchange for their autograph, their images appearing on a billboard, and other such policies. However, some athletes who participate in individual sports, like tennis, are currently not allowed to collect their winnings from a tournament. It has now prompted the University of North Carolina student Brantmeier to file a lawsuit against the NCAA.

The official Twitter page of the Tennis Channel brought to light the news of the 19-year-old player from Wisconsin, suing the NCAA after she was unable to collect almost $50,000 in prize money. The social media post stated, “A top-ranked college tennis player is suing the NCAA after she was unable to collect almost $50,000 in U.S. Open prize money. Should college athletes be able to earn prize money on the pro tour?”

Back in 2021, Brantmeier, who started playing professional tournaments at the age of 14, marked a runner-up finish in the U.S. junior national tournament. In doing so, the North Carolina tennis player also secured a place in the qualifying round of the US Open and made $49,000 in prize money. However, Brantmeier didn’t collect it, as it would have put her NCAA eligibility and college scholarships in jeopardy.

Prior to filing the lawsuit, Brantmeier also labeled NCAA rules as ‘ridiculous’ as she shed light on how athletes in other sports like football were allowed to reap the benefits.

‘It’s ridiculous to watch basketball and football players….’- The American college tennis player slams NCAA rulebook

In a previous interview, as reported by The Athletic, the top-ranked college tennis star vented her frustrations over the way the governing body caps athlete compensation in different sports like football and basketball. She said, “It’s ridiculous to watch basketball and football players earning hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that is OK under the name, image and likeness (NIL) rules, and then see us work just as hard and say we can’t earn money directly from our sport.”

Now that Brantmeier has sued the NCAA, she has made it clear that she is willing to fight back to change the current rules. Do you think that college athletes should be allowed to collect their winnings on the pro tour? Let us know in the comments section.

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