Former Top 10 player Wayne Ferreira tells Tennis News Brazil that players should not focus their energy on fighting the Grand Slams for a bigger share of the prize money pool, but should go after their own association, the ATP, instead.
“Do not boycott the Grand Slams,” said Ferreira, who was once a leader of a (now failed) breakaway players' union in 2003. “You must boycott the ATP since its [prize money] has not grow for years while the Slams grow every year. When I stopped, a [Grand Slam] champion won $800,000-$900,000, and now he earns $2 million. The first round was paying $10,000; today, $25,000-$30,000. The amount of money the ATP 500 and 250s and Masters 1000’s pay are basically the same.”
Ferreira, who owns the modern-day record for the most consecutive Grand Slams singles tournaments played with 56, believes that Roger Federer, who currently is at 52, will pass him.
“No way I can cheer against Federer [in order to] to keep my record,” Ferreira said. “Federer will surely pass me, I have no doubt he should play for at least another four years. I like Federer and I want him to pass me.”