Challenger Level: Where Dreams Are Made and Broken

The world of professional tennis is often romanticized as a life of glamour and success, with top players enjoying lucrative sponsorship deals and adoring fans. However, for those at the lower echelons of the sport, the reality is far from rosy. The life of a Challenger-level tennis player is one of endless travel, cost-cutting, and battling loneliness.

For Cristian Garín, a former world No 17, the harsh reality of life below elite tennis was a difficult pill to swallow. After a wrist injury forced him to miss two ATP Masters 1000 events, Garín found himself 10,000 miles away on a hard court in Nouméa, New Caledonia, competing in an ATP Challenger event. The Chilean’s career was a far cry from the success he had once enjoyed, and the unforgiving ranking system left him feeling demotivated.

“It was difficult to find motivation,” Garín said in an interview. “The cities, conditions are not the best, different from when you play the best tournaments. The Challengers are tough. Sometimes I get very upset because you go a long way to win 30 matches and you’re still outside the top 100. It’s way too much.”

The life of a professional tennis player is a mentally demanding one, with players spending only 20% of their time on the court, according to sports psychologist Kevin Clancy. The remaining 80% is spent thinking, and the pressure to perform can be overwhelming.

“It’s a sport that mentally could beat you up really, really badly,” Clancy said. “For players at Challenger level, it’s about survival. They need to play more tournaments and have that constant pressure of, ‘I need to perform and get points’.”

The financial rewards for Challenger-level players are often meager, with many struggling to make ends meet. In 2024, Nikoloz Basilashvili returned from an elbow injury and earned $63,183 in prize money, but after subtracting flight costs and paying his coaches, he made a net loss of about $120,000.

“I wanted to quit after my injury because I was very burned out for many years,” Basilashvili said. “You are mostly alone and you don’t really have a lot of friends to talk to. I don’t know if there is any other sport like this, to take a flight on the same day you play a match and then next week you are in another city.”

Basilashvili’s experience is not unique. Many players at the Challenger level struggle to make a living from their sport. According to a recent survey, 60% of players at the Challenger level reported earning less than $20,000 per year from their tennis career.

The lack of financial stability is just one of the many challenges faced by Challenger-level players. The constant travel and time away from home can also take a toll on their mental health. “It’s a lonely sport,” said Dusan Lajovic, a former world No 23. “When you’re hitting 30, you’re trying to nest somewhere, start a family. But tennis doesn’t allow you that.”

Lajovic’s comments highlight the sacrifices that players at the Challenger level are forced to make. Many players have to put their personal lives on hold in order to pursue their tennis career. “I’ve been on the road for 11 months straight,” said Maximilian Marterer, a German player who has been competing at the Challenger level for several years. “I’ve missed birthdays, holidays, and even Christmas with my family.”

Despite the challenges, many players continue to pursue their dreams, driven by their love for the sport and a desire to succeed. For Nicolás Jarry, a former world No 16, tennis serves as a form of self-expression and a way to follow his instincts.

“I was born the oldest child, so I follow a lot of rules,” Jarry said. “When somebody tells me to do A, and it’s not going to kill me, I will do A, even if I think B. Now, I follow my instincts. It motivates me to see how far I can go following my gut.”

The harsh reality of life below elite tennis is a world of survival and sacrifice, where dreams are made and broken. As the sport continues to evolve, it remains to be seen whether the lives of Challenger-level players will improve, or if they will continue to struggle in the shadows of the top players.