Injured Saville says she only played the US Open because of record first-round prize money
The Australian has been suffering from plantar fasciitis but said she could not afford to miss out on the $100,000
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When the US Open announced its prize money for this year’s event, much was made out of the fact that the payout for first-round losers would be a record $100,000.
It is a healthy reward for the effort players make in getting their ranking up high enough to earn direct entry or for those who have won three matches to quality. But perversely, it seems that it has also been an incentive for some players who, had it been any other tournament, would not have played because of niggling injuries.
Australia’s Daria Saville, whose career has been blighted by injury, has been battling plantar fasciitis in her right foot since her first-round match at Wimbledon. The Australian did not play any warm-up event but felt like she had to be at the US Open just because of the money on offer. On Tuesday, after an agonising 6-3, 4-6, 10-6 defeat by Ena Shibahara of Japan, she was as honest as always.
“No. That is the truth,” she said,” when asked if she only played because it was a slam. “Like, where else will I make money? I lose money every week if I bring a coach. (I shouldn’t) play but where am I going to make prize money like that?”
“I’m thinking, do I even want to do this anymore?”
Ranked No 95, Saville went into the US Open having won $493,539. The $100,000 will help cover her costs, of course, but while she wants to play the Asian swing of tournaments, she said she may not be able to compete and even questioned whether she had the resolve to keep playing.
“Mentally, it was tough because I felt that at some point, I felt that I didn’t even deserve it, because I didn’t put in the work (by playing warm-up events). It is just a cycle. I have had it before when I was playing injured and it is just a horrible cycle. I’m thinking, do I even want to do this anymore?’”
“I will regroup, maybe. I really want to play the Asian swing but sometimes I maybe feel like I don’t even want to do this thing anymore. I wanted to play Seoul, that’s highly unlikely now. Beijing. Wuhan.
“The pain was seven out of ten to begin with, and it is more sore when you are losing as well. It is a bit easier when I am up in the score. I’m really negative right now. I don’t know how I will feel tomorrow and probably I won’t feel that way in a few days, but it is not fun playing injured.”
