The 'Lucky Loser' feel good stories of the ATP are about as common now days as Roger Federer winning a Slam, but spare a thought for the guys who are struggling to make ends meet, these players rely on a bit of luck for a few extra dollars.
So let's look at the 'Lucky Loser' technicalities.
If a player loses in the last round of qualification, well the highest ranked player of that last round of 'qualies' can be placed into the main draw of an ATP event, singles or doubles. If a player or players do not win two or three qualification matches all is not in fact lost because they may just get a call from the Tournament Committee if someone pulls out of the Main Draw through injury or sickness.
Now here's the thing, you imagine the mind set of a player, or players who lose in the last round of qualification then gain an entry into the main draw through a withdrawal, it would be like, 'WHOOPPEE' !!!
Show me the money.....
Take for instance the current tournament in Dubai;
If a player loses in the last round of qualification they will take home $4,300 US Dollars, enough to fly to a couple of tournaments at least. However if a player who loses in that last round in Dubai gets a call up for the Main Draw then that figure grows to a guaranteed $19,435 US Dollars.
Big difference in any mans language.
So if a player who does lose in the last round of qualies in Dubai gets the call up what do you think the mind set would be ??
Free swinging, surely nothing but free swinging. Why would you play any other way ? Some players play for peanuts in Challenger events, maybe $400 Euros for a semi final showing in the main draw somewhere in the heart of Europe or South America.
Qualification events on the ATP Tour however still pay reasonably well. That may be an understatement.
You know how much Bernard Tomic walked away with to lose in the last round of qualies at the Oz Open ?
Hows $30,000 sound ? Not bad ey ? Not bad to NOT make the main draw.
I did read a story a few years ago of a tennis pro who retired after losing the first set in a tie breaker in the last round of qualification to a fellow Countryman, apparently a friend. The player who retired in fact was given a spot in the Main Draw of that event.
Let's look at that.
It was Toronto, 2014. Aussie Marinko Matosevic was up against another Aussie Thanassi Kokkinakis, ( I think I spelt both of those 'common' Aussie names correctly ). It was in the final round of qualifying. The winner would go through to the Main Draw and take home a guaranteed prize of $11,110, the 'loser' $2560. Big difference.
Check this out.
Marinko forfeited after winning the first set 7-6, ( 9-7 in the tie breaker ). Who had the highest ranking of all the qualifiers do you think ?
Correct.
Marinko Matosevic.
So even if he lost, he won, so to speak, as he was to be elevated to the Main draw regardless as he was the number 1 seed in the qualifying at Toronto. Highest ranking goes through on a withdrawal from the real gig, the main draw.
Another twist.
Marinko was injured so he withdrew from the main draw and Malek Jaziri of Tunisia was the next best ranked player at number 114, so he went through. He even won a round. So from his initial take home pay of $2560 Jaziri in fact turned it into just over $26,000 as he lost in round two and only by a whisker, 7-6 in the third to Cilic who was seeded 15.
All confusing ?
Well the bottom line is this.
Being a 'loser' in tennis can sometimes turn you into a winner because it can change your entire way of thinking, that's rather obvious. A player who loses in the last round of qualification will naturally swing free if they get a call up to the main draw because they were on a flight out with just enough to pay for a month's rent in most households.
A call up to the real deal will often pay the rent for 6 months, there's the difference.
Without boring you with too many details here are two examples just recently of 'losers' becoming winners.
Rotterdam, two weeks ago; Andreas Seppi of Italy made it all the way through to the semi finals where he pushed eventual winner Roger Federer all the way in a 6-3, 7-6 loss. The effort was made all the way more remarkable considering Seppi lost in the last round of qualifying and was initially going home with just over $3,000 Euros.
His take home pay for the semis ?
Just under $100,000 Euros.
Rio, just this week; David Marrero and Fernando Verdasco took home the Mens Doubles title and shared just over $110, 000 Euros, but here's the thing. They originally lost in the last round of qualification and were going to take home enough for perhaps a carton of Corona, ( Doubles isn't quite as lucrative in qualifying as singles ).
The moral of the story.
Sometimes being a 'loser' in tennis can change the mind set. Free swinging and free thinking can sometimes turn a 'loser' into a winner........
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