Wimbledon injury dropouts raise questions about motives

This is indeed a growing problem, much moreso for the fans who bought a ticket at the door, compared to the fans sitting at home and watching on TV.

In my opinion, this is largely caused by the lifestyle that fringe players are forced to leave. There are lots of behind-the-scenes articles out there highlighting the life of players on the challengers' circuits, who are constantly worrying about money, and balancing their travel, hotel, and entry fee expenses with the meager winnings they get from low-level events with 25 spectators and no line judges. There's a lot of players eking out a pretty miserable existence while chasing the dream of being able to support themselves on the top-level circuit.

With first-round Wimbledon losers banking 35,000 pounds ($45,216.50) this year, some wondered if the sums of money at stake were the deciding factor on why unfit players turned up.

Of course it is. That's a ton of money to fringe players to turn down. They're going to keep accepting those draws and keep retiring in their first-round matches when they shouldn't have accepted a position in the tournament at all due to their medical conditions.

One solution (albeit a not-so-well-thought-out one) would be to guarantee a minimal monthly/yearly salary for players between the rankings of (whatever would work out best...100-150?). They'd have to reduce the purse of the tournament winner to pay for it, but that wouldn't discourage players who are trying to earn rankings points to move up to higher-caliber tournaments. I think it'd offer an overall better product in the challengers, the elimination of this first-round drop-out rate at the top level, and a more peaceful life for the players.

no sympathy. nobody forced them into tennis. its a choice they make. they could get real jobs like the rest of us.

Stickman, if you're referring to sympathy for the players, then that wasn't the point of what I wrote. My point was to improve their conditions so that it positively affects the on-court product at the high level tournaments.

TOW, would agree with you if we were talking about 'real' fringe players. Most of those guys (the Kyrgios, Dolgopolov, Troicki, Lopez etc) aren't what I would call fringe players struggling to make ends meet, they all have been in the top 100 or better for quite some time, have won tourneys & earned millions.

Sure the cheque itself may have been the difference between turning up/not but I reckon tanking, laziness, lack of motivation and simply not giving 100% is the new norm in sports (not only tennis btw). Look at what Tomic did.

Goldorak, yes, that's exactly what I mean. I'm not talking about the Dolgopolovs or Lopezes of the world. I'm talking about people who are scraping money together to be able to string their racquets week in and week out.

And you're right about Tomic. What a disgrace. Even if that's truly how he feels, what would ever possess him to come out and publicly make those comments?? What a spoiled, arrogant child.