“$20k a month on just operational expenses”: Taro Daniel reveals the financial struggles of life outside ATP’s top 100

Tennis is often described as an expensive sport. Assembling a high-quality kit comprising racquets and other materials can end up costing a tennis player thousands of dollars. Not only that but in developing countries, access to playing tennis on different courts is also costly.

Japan’s Taro Daniel has now opened up about how difficult it is to become a professional tennis player, especially if you are not part of the top 100 in the ATP rankings. Daniel has recently spoken to the Financial Times, where he shared his struggles in the early stages of his career. "When I was younger, I even wouldn’t get the avocado on my Chipotle order because it’s like three dollars more,” he said. “When you try to save too much it ends up impacting people’s games negatively."

Daniel is currently taking part in the qualifying round of Wimbledon 2025. He booked his spot in the second phase after beating Edas Butvilas in straight sets with a score of 7-6, 6-3. Discussing the challenges of managing a professional tennis player's coaching staff and other expenses, Daniel noted that every player operates like a ‘small company’. He also said that the organisers only bear the costs of the player's accommodation, whereas the player is then responsible for covering the expenses of the coaching staff's accommodation.

"Tournaments cover your hotel room, but they don’t cover your coach’s hotel room,” he said. “My credit card statement, it’s at least $20,000 (£14,702) a month on just operational expenses of hotel, food, flights and not including the salaries I pay to my team. As a tennis player, you’re like a small company but having all your employees travelling all the time. [It's] at least $100,000 (£73,518) per season for your basic level, not super experienced coach. Ten years ago, when I started, a lot of players would travel alone because the standards were not as high. Now, it would be very rare for someone to travel alone to a Grand Slam, for example. Everyone has a coach or trainer. They’re probably right on the red-black line. Even in a Slam, you’re not necessarily making money."