The ATP’s financial support programme rests on three key supports designed to help players at different stages: Newcomer Investment, Minimum Guarantees, and Injury Protection.
Life as a professional tennis player isn’t just about what happens on court. It comes with constant pressure — match-day nerves, rushed travel schedules, and for many players outside the Top 100, real financial worry.
Jesper de Jong knows that reality firsthand. The 25-year-old Dutchman earned his first ATP point back in 2019, yet by the end of the 2024 season he was still on the fringes of the elite, finishing No. 112 in the PIF ATP Rankings with only two tour-level wins. With limited resources, making the right investments to speed up his development simply wasn’t possible.
Everything shifted at the start of 2025. A $200,000 advance from the ATP’s innovative Baseline Programme gave De Jong the stability he needed to focus on his growth. Free from financial strain, he was able to put a clear plan into action — and the results spoke for themselves. He enjoyed a breakthrough season, collecting 17 wins and closing the year ranked No. 73.
He ended up earning over $780,000, giving him a real sense of financial independence.
Reflecting on the Baseline Programme, which he accessed through the Newcomer Investment pillar, De Jong explained how it changed the way he approached the season. “At the start of a season, you never really know how much you’ll earn, and that makes it tough to invest in the things that will help you succeed,” he said. “With the Newcomer support, you get $200,000 upfront, and that lets you plan your season properly.
“It’s a huge relief. Without that support, you might set money aside for coaching or training, and if you get injured, suddenly you can’t follow through with your plans.”
The Newcomer Investment programme is designed for players who reach the Year-End Top 125 for the first time in the previous season. In 2025, Jesper de Jong was one of five players to benefit from it.
The funding allowed De Jong to travel for an entire season with fitness coach Bas van Bentum, who had previously worked with Tallon Griekspoor, and to bring former World No. 40 Thiemo de Bakker onto his team for 15 weeks.
Players like De Jong who participate in the programme repay up to the full $200,000. From 2026 onwards, the support is structured as a three-year loan, with repayment made through 50% of prize money earned at ATP events (excluding Grand Slams) and through off-court commitments.
For Jesper de Jong, the programme was nothing short of a lifeline. It allowed him to continue working with his coaches, Bas van Bentum and Thiemo de Bakker, even after a tough start to the season.
“Back in January, I didn’t win a single match and still had the huge expense of traveling to Australia,” De Jong recalled. “Having the Newcomer support was such a relief — it basically covered all the costs I expected for the year.”
He also saw how much it helped other players. “I had a strong season and made some money, but there were plenty of guys who didn’t have their best year and barely earned anything. For them, Newcomer was a real game changer.”
Newcomer Investment is just one of three pillars of the ATP’s Baseline initiative, designed to give players financial support beyond prize money so they can make a sustainable living from tennis. Now in the second year of a three-year trial, the programme supported 30 players in 2025 with $2 million — up from $1.3 million shared among 26 players in 2024.
The Minimum Guarantee pillar is designed to give Top 250 players some financial security. The ATP steps in to cover any gaps, ensuring players ranked 1–100 make at least $300,000, those ranked 101–175 earn $200,000 or more, and players ranked 176–250 take home no less than $100,000. In 2025, 24 players benefitted from this safety net.
The Income Protection pillar helps players get back on the Tour after injury, giving them the support they need to focus on their comeback.
Last year at the Australian Open, De Jong was knocked out in the first round of qualifying. Now, with his ranking at No. 73 — just two spots shy of his career high — he’s in the main draw, set to face former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev.
He’s looking forward to the challenge, building on the lessons from matches against Top 10 players Jannik Sinner in Rome and Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros.
“Of course, you don’t want to draw someone like Medvedev if your goal is to win, but it’s also an incredible chance to play against one of the sport’s biggest names,” De Jong said. “Playing Sinner in Rome felt like stepping into the lion’s den — it was tough, but I really enjoyed it and felt I gave a strong performance. Against Zverev, I came back from two sets down in the first round and even won the first set of our match, but physically he was just too strong in the end and won in four sets.”
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