Aussie battler shares 'realities of life on Tour' after $3,200 payday

(Dane Sweeny/Instagram)

Upon an increase in US Open prize money to a record A$7.7 million pocketed by the champion, it's easy to get caught up in the glitz and glamour of the professional Tour.

If only that money trickled down to the lower-tier events.

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Having reached as high as 194th in the ATP rankings, Aussie Dane Sweeny has recently withstood the grind that is the ITF Tour.

The 24-year-old is coming off consecutive titles in Brisbane, having clinched two ITF M15 titles, which have propelled him to world No.467.

In an Instagram story uploaded to his separate account, 'lifeonthetour', Sweeny shared an eye-opening financial reality after winning his first of two Brisbane titles.

"Fun fact: I won $3,200 last week, winning the 15k in Brisbane. My dad's (coach) flight to Taipei were $3,000 total. Realities of life on Tour."

(Dane Sweeny/Instagram)

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Before his first round main draw match at the 2024 Australian Open, Sweeny opened up on the challenges associated with grinding it out on the pro circuit.

"Tennis is a pretty expensive sport, so I have to try to make those dollars last as long as I can," he said.

"My dad actually had to go in the fifth set (against Cerúndolo) because he had to go do work back at home. He had to catch a flight and go do some cleaning jobs, unfortunately."

The Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA), co-founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, have instilled a clear vision to distribute prize money fairly across all levels of the sport.

"Tennis players have the right to share fairly in the economic activity and wealth of tennis, which players have helped generate, underpinned by fair and just pay and work conditions," the PTPA said in 2023 as part of their principles.

"Even though players are at the epicentre of the sport, they receive only 17.5 per cent of the sport's revenues in prize money – this is one of the lowest player revenue shares in all of sports. The lower revenue share, combined with players' high out-of-pocket costs and lack of guaranteed income, results in an economic model that can only support a handful of tennis' top names. All players should have their fair share of the wealth they help generate for the sport."

Sweeny co-hosts the 'Life on the Tour' podcast alongside fellow Australian countryman Calum Puttergill, aiming to "make tennis great again" by advocating for a positive and supportive tennis community.

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