Rewarding Australian Open Players For Early Exit Promotes Mediocrity, Cahill Says

Former Australian professional tennis player and current coach DARREN CAHILL argued in a discussion with tennis writers that offering first-round losers more money at the Australian Open "would only promote mediocrity," according to Courtney Walsh of THE AUSTRALIAN. Cahill said, "Nobody is entitled. Everything is earned. I applaud the Aussie Open for stepping up and fully support the players' push for a larger share of revenue, but not for first-round exits." Cahill, who coached LLEYTON HEWITT early in his career and helped ANDRE AGASSI remain a force well into his 30s, said that a decrease in prize money "should be considered for first-round losers as a method of motivation." He said that too many players "turned up at slams when not fit enough to compete simply because they were guaranteed a reasonable earn." Cahill wrote on Twitter: "I'd be tempted to reduce 1st rd money & give major increases to 2nd & 3rd rounds, & beyond. Reward players for performance, similar to golf" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/5).