Marinko Matosevic: Prize money distribution needs to be reformed

Former Australian tennis player Marinko Matosevic claims prize money distribution needs to be reformed when tennis resumes. 

The Tour has been suspended since March 12 and there won't be any events until at least July 13. 

High-ranked players should be financially just fine during the Tour suspension but lower-ranked players could face major financial difficulties.

It’s pretty simple, the prize money’s too top heavy. It’s got to be more spread out,” he added. 

“At the Australian Open, it doesn’t need to be $4 million (AUD) for the winner," Matosevic said during his appearance on The First Serve.

“You just have to look at other sports, how much their guys, the 200th best football players or basketball players, are getting. Tennis is not even close. 

“The tournaments want to break the records, prize money records for the winners and they compete with each other instead of evenly distributing it.

“They’ve got to even it out more, right from qualifying – not from the main draw – from qualifying.”

Matosevic, a former world No. 39, says the biggest stars of the game need to step up and start an initiative.

"It’s the top players, the big stars that have to (step up),” Matosevic insisted. 

“I know they’ve got their interests and they’re busy as well, it’s probably the last thing they want to encounter. 

“But it’s really the top stars that drive everything in tennis, especially the top guys: Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. 

“They’ve got to sit down and just work out a fair system.” 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2W6xalZ