By Guillaume K. | Sports journalist
At just 22 years old, Arthur Cazaux is establishing himself as a hope in French tennis, coming off the best season of his career. Firmly integrated into the world Top 100, he now earns a good living, even if he wanted to make a big clarification on this subject.
Because football does not necessarily have the best image in France, we often hear that players are paid far too much to “run after a ball”, that they would do well to donate part of their salary to professions that deserve it like medical staff or teachers… A criticism which, strangely, does not affect other sports where money is king.
In France, who is attacking Rudy Gobert, even though he has already earned more than 217 million dollars in the NBA? Likewise, does anyone question the bonuses received by tennis players during the various tournaments? Not necessarily, and yet, in the world of the little yellow ball, the sums involved are also particularly impressive.
Arthur Cazaux talks about bonuses in tennis
Arthur Cazaux, 22, knows this better than anyone. After reaching the round of 16 for the first time in his Grand Slam career at the Australian Open, he earned $230,000. But during his visit to First Team Sportshe explained that things were much more complex than that, notably because of taxes.
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On social networks, I saw people saying that I had won 230,000 dollars at the Australian Open… You should know that the 230,000 is what it said on the paper. On my ATP card it says that I won more than a million in my career, but that's not at all what's in my bank account. In Australia already, you have 46% taxes. So they take that away. Afterwards you can deduct as much tax as possible with plane tickets, expenses in Australia, coaches' salaries, etc.
I managed to get out of it with less than $56,000 in taxes. Then you have all the expenses that I mentioned, so over a month that's a lot. Then in France, you arrive with the rest and you have to pay your taxes, so between 25 and 30% depending on your status, you have the URSSAF which takes 20%… So you arrive in the end with a sum which is only a quarter of the price displayed at the beginning. This is why many tennis players go to Switzerland or Dubai.
It's good to explain to people that I'm not a millionaire, because even if that's the amount on paper, with expenses and taxes, I'm far from it. But when you're in the Top 100 you're still good. You have good tournaments with good prize money. But if I have an injured year and I go down in the rankings, financially it could be hot.
Arthur Cazaux is not to be pitied financially, he who is currently in 63rd place in the ATP rankings. On the other hand, you should not believe that the bonuses received in tournaments go directly to your account…
