Before his unexpected early exit from the 2024 Indian Wells, Novak Djokovic got the chance to be a speaker at the Upfront Summit in Los Angeles, where he delved into the economic hardships faced by lower-ranked tennis players.
In a session with Jeffrey Katzenberg, the co-founder of DreamWorks Pictures, at the prestigious Upfront Summit, Djokovic voiced his concerns about the financial disparity in the sport of tennis.
Even though the sport itself is doing great financially, he highlighted that only a limited number of professional players can truly earn a decent living from the sport, underlining the struggles encountered by those with lower rankings.
Djokovic noted that for these players, merely managing to break even is a significant challenge, and only a select few can afford to hire a coach or a physiotherapist. He pointed out that the vast majority of these players lack adequate team support and thus must manage their careers on their own.
He explained, “It’s only a few who are fortunate enough to just manage to break even, and an even smaller group who can afford coaching staff, let alone a physiotherapist. Most of them lack the necessary support staff, so they end up handling their careers by themselves.“
Djokovic did mention that the ATP and WTA Tours provide some level of assistance, but he stressed that the main issue stems from the fragmented and complex structure of the tennis industry.
“Though the tours offer some help occasionally, the real challenge lies in our tennis ecosystem being overly fragmented, with too many governing bodies complicating things,” he added.
Novak Djokovic faces a big upset after facing defeat to lucky loser Luca Nardi at the Indian Wells Master
In an astonishing turn of events at Indian Wells, world number one Novak Djokovic faced defeat at the hands of 20-year-old Luca Nardi in the third round.
The young Italian, ranked 123rd globally, was initially ousted during the qualifiers but found his way back into the main draw following the withdrawal of another player.
Nardi showcased remarkable talent, striking 34 winners to secure a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory against the champion of 24 Grand Slams, culminating the match with a decisive ace.
“It’s crazy,” remarked Nardi, now recognized as the lowest-ranked player ever to defeat Djokovic at an ATP Masters 1000 event or a Grand Slam.
“I don’t know [how I held my nerve], I think it is a miracle, because I am a 20-year-old guy, and beating Novak,” he added
