 to players ranked in the top 100. There are two bands, stretching down to No 250 in the world, with respective minimum payments of US$150,000 (NZ$250,000) and US$75,000 (NZ$125,000). While some might argue that any support for tour professionals is a benefit, there will always be arguments about who deserves the most support. The rival player union partly set up by Novak Djokovic believes the pressure from them has led to the ATP giving money to lowly ranked players. Speaking to Telegraph Sport, Betton said: 'You really need money if you're ranked between 250 and 600. I also think it's quite funny that the ATP announcement featured a quote from Grigor Dimitrov [the former world No3]. That's like asking Tom Cruise to give a quote about the difficulties of being a struggling actor.' Another coach, who preferred not to be named, said that the sums on offer were unlikely to change much – because 'You would have to have a horrendous year to be eligible for a payment'. The same coach also questioned whether the ATP was looking for positive optics){kind=link}
In an attempt to create a financial saftey net for ATP players, the tour appears to have further exposed divisions
A new system designed to offer a financial security blanket for ATP tour players – by setting a guaranteed minimum income for the year – has split opinion within the game.
Nick Kyrgios, last year’s Wimbledon finalist, described the Baseline initiative as “still not enough,” while the British coach Calvin Betton told Telegraph Sport: “It’s aimed at the wrong people: it’s those ranked outside the top 250 who really need help.”
Meanwhile, the chief executive of Novak Djokovic’s rival player union, the Professional Tennis Players Association, claimed credit for the development, suggesting it was the result of pressure applied by his organisation. As ever, tennis remains a viper’s nest of competing interests, making it impossible to satisfy everyone.
Staff at the Association of Tennis Professionals have spent much of the summer working out the terms of the Baseline project, which offers a guaranteed minimum annual income of $300,000 (£237,000) to players ranked in the top 100. There are two more bands, stretching down to No 250 in the world, with respective minimum payments of $150,000 and $75,000.