John Millman: Something needed to be done to help lower-ranked players long ago

• Tennis News

Australian tennis star John Millman says something needed to be done to help lower-ranked players long ago but he is happy to see that they haven't been forgotten during the coronavirus pandemic. Ever since the Tour got suspended, high-ranked players have been urging the key stakeholders of tennis to help lower-ranked professionals as they feared those players could face major financial difficulties.

Djokovic, the President of the ATP Player Council, stepped up and suggested that top-100 players each donate from 5000 - 30000 to player relief fund -- that money would be distributed to those most affected by the Tour suspension.

Djokovic, president of player council, reportedly proposing top 100 players contribute $5000 to 30,000 each on a sliding scale to player relief fund for those lower ranked. With Slams & ATP contributions, could bring full package to over $4 million.

Fine gesture by players https://t.co/trC4sjYADx — Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) April 17, 2020

"If the concern is to help players ranked 250-700 in the world why has it taken a global pandemic to realize this? Surely, over the many years of top end heavy prizemoney increases we maybe should have maybe distributed the spread a little more," Millman said in a Twitter post.

If the concern is to help players ranked 250-700 in the world why has it taken a global pandemic to realize this? Surely over the many years of top end heavy prizemoney increases we maybe should have maybe distributed the spread a little more...

🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️? — John Millman (@johnhmillman) April 19, 2020

I agree mate. All I’m saying is this issue has been around for a while and for a fair chunk of that time the lower ranked players and what they were making was never the priority..

increase in prizemoney at top end was.. — John Millman (@johnhmillman) April 19, 2020