In recent years, the subject of the prize money in tennis has been put back on the table, especially in terms of wage inequalities between players and players. For several seasons, the Grand Chelem tournaments have significantly increased their endowments, while ATP and WTA are also working in this direction.
On the Challenger circuit, ATP announced a significant increase in money won during tournaments for the year 2025 ($ 28.5 million according to figures communicated).
In recent weeks, some members of the TOP 20 ATP and WTA have again requested an increase in tournament gains in the Grands Celems. Information that is not to Andrea Petkovic’s taste.
The former German professional player believes that this has a negative impact on the members of the players’ teams on the circuit, and that this does not strengthen deep and solid friendships.
“The increase in Prize Money unfortunately has a big drawback. At the start of my career, we still shared coaches and traveling in groups with other players, we slept three by room to save money, we hired the ham and cheese of breakfast buffets to train friendships for life.
The increase in the size of the teams in recent years has also helped to increase loneliness on the circuit. The people you pay are not your friends.
This may seem to be the case and you can end up being friends in certain situations, but as long as there is a dynamic of power linked to remuneration, there is no equality and a friendship is not really one if there is no equality.
When players travel with physiotherapists, coaches, psychologists and healers, they are surrounded by people they pay and who occupy the space necessary for real friendship.
A friendship where your friend does not have to fear losing his job if he tells you that the skirt does not suit you, it is not a real friendship, “she developed for tennis up to date in recent hours.
