Former Grand Slam champion Dominic Thiem , who retired in 2024 with 17 career titles , gave an extensive interview to the Business of Sport podcast this month. In the podcast, Thiem reflected on his career , the injuries that forced his retirement at age 31, and the future of tennis—a sport currently defined on the men’s side by European stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

The most compelling part of the conversation wasn’t about his forehand or fitness—it was Thiem’s blunt assessment of the economics of junior tennis, and the daunting costs required to craft an athlete capable of competing at the highest levels of the ATP and WTA Tours.

$1 Million to Go Pro

The financial barrier to entry in tennis has become one of the sport’s defining debates. Governing bodies—the ATP,

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