Australian pro tennis needs more options
Tennis has readily established itself as one both one of the most lucrative and elite, as well as one of the toughest sports to become professional and earn a living. Other sports such as soccer and rugby attract and sustain higher numbers of youth athletes that transition to professional levels in Australia.
So perhaps, instead of the other widely discussed and debated issues with Australian grassroots tennis, could it be the lack of options and opportunities to earn a living from the sport that pushes junior athletes at the grassroots level away from tennis?
All over the world and especially in Australia, it is very difficult to earn a living from playing tennis. Only the top 150-200 players often earn enough through tennis to sustain themselves and fund their careers in a way that can allow them to perform at the highest level.
But unlike other sports that offer a home club or base for an athlete to come out of, tennis demands worldwide, year-long travel and competition without any monetary guarantee.
What we need in Australia is more opportunities for players to play and earn a substantial salary domestically to develop grassroots tennis and establish tennis as a sport that is accessible and desirable for Australian youth and athletes.
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Throughout Australia alone, sports such as rugby, AFL, basketball, football, and cricket all offer dozens of professional, semi-professional, premier, state, and even grade-level leagues that provide options for athletes to compete at a high level and earn good money while they compete.
And while Australia is gradually growing the number of WTA, ATP, ITF, and UTR Pro events as well as state-grade events, they do not provide the financial security and stability needed for a broader group of Australian tennis players to pursue tennis competitively as a career.
However, if we look across the pond at our American neighbours, they have analysed this issue and are taking more proactive steps in filling the gaps the traditional tour and tennis pathway offers.
"INTENNSE was born out of a collection of people's ideas," said Fulcher in an interview with The First Serve.
"Beliefs about where tennis currently stands on the professional level, and the number of gaps, particularly for transitioning tennis players. The life of a tennis pro can be extremely tough, with travelling and life on the road. Going around the world week to week is a tough lifestyle."
A big part of the creation of the INTENNSE league is addressing the issues earlier brought up about player security.
By establishing more leagues, events, and opportunities for Australian players to be considered "professional" and earn a liveable wage, Australian tennis will, in turn, develop a stronger reputation as a sport you actually have a chance to become pro in.
"We want to continue to provide fantastic opportunities for players, giving them security in the way they live their lives, the way they earn their money, and really presenting great opportunities for the players as we move forward," shared Fulcher.
Fulcher continued to explain the future direction of INTENNSE, adding: "We are currently looking at our 2027 plan. We're looking to expand to a second hub. Putting our roots out in different parts of the community, hitting new territories and new key cities, as we look to expand the league."
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Another incredible pathway formed is the UTR Pro Tennis Tour, which The First Serve has extensively covered on multiple occasions.
In Australia, there has been a steady influx of these events, providing additional competition and revenue opportunities for domestic players.
Yet, in the States, there are far more of these events, as well as series such as the UTR Pro Summer Slam and the UTR Pro Fall Slam that feature dozens of events spread on a weekly basis that culminate in national championships.
Beyond the Australian Money Tournaments, scattered Professional events, and state events, we need to develop leagues and competition pathways that help grassroots players and their families understand that professional tennis is accessible to them.
With the geographical challenges Australian tennis already faces, we need to take a leaf out of the US tennis book of leagues such as INTENNSE, and the progression of American-based UTR Pro tennis to ensure sustainable ways for Australian players to envision a future for themselves within the sport.
This will, in turn, help improve retention rates at the grassroots level, create opportunities for domestic players, and give local talent the chance to sustain their careers and lives through the game we love.
And perhaps the other issues we have seen arise, such as the grassroots-to-Grand Slam development of Aussie players dwindling, can also be fixed with such initiatives.
Play USA Tennis Pathways supports athletes who want to go down the college pathway, assisting players to get recruited to a college that meets their academic and athletic goals. If you are a player, parent, or coach and are interested in the college pathway in the United States, contact Lachlan Puyol at playusatennispathways@gmail.com
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