\u201cI know a good handful of players right now that are seriously hurt,\u201d McDonald says. \u201cBut I know they\u2019re going to show up to the US Open and get on court to make sure they can make some money because they\u2019ve got bills to pay. They want to get an apartment and they want to pay their team \u2013 a coach, physio, trainer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe grand slams are the engine that enables them to make a living and they have to capitalise on that. It\u2019s the difference between putting food on the table and making a living. That\u2019s what\u2019s at stake for some people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Much of the lobbying for the slams to increase their prize pots to 22% of revenues, from the current position of about 15%, has come from global stars such as Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka<\/a> due to their public profile, but McDonald provides a more compelling case than the gripes of multimillionaires.<\/p>\n With total earnings of more than $7m he is unlikely to be on the bread line at present, but has been at various points in his career. Seemingly high income levels ignore the fact that players are responsible for their travel and coaching costs, plus those of their often large entourages.<\/p>\n \u201cThings have shifted, but at the lower level the money has always been pretty insignificant,\u201d McDonald says. \u201cI\u2019d say if you\u2019re ranked 250 in the world right now you\u2019re making about $200,000. I\u00a0know for a fact that only 88 players last year made a million dollars. But that\u2019s before taxes and all your costs, which are very\u00a0significant.<\/p>\n \u201cMany players go straight from college, where everything is paid for, into professional tennis where you\u2019re booking your own flights and often paying for premium flights at the end of the week.<\/p>\n \u201cI became a master of travel cheat codes, but you also have to pay for your performance team, whether that\u2019s a strength and conditioning coach, a physio, psychologist or your main coach. Plus their travel.<\/p>\n Mackenzie McDonald is fit to play at the US Open if he comes through qualifying, but has also experienced the darker side of tennis. Photograph: Sipa US\/Alamy Stock Photo\/Alamy Live News.<\/p>\n \u201cAs players, we\u2019re an undervalued asset for how much screen time we provide for broadcasters and how much betting income we generate for gambling\u00a0operators.\u201d<\/p>\n McDonald is fit to play at Flushing Meadows if he comes through qualifying, but has also experienced the darker side of a sport with comprehensive medical insurance limited to the world\u2019s top 150 players, although the next 100 are given a more basic package by the ATP.<\/p>\n
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