Tennis Pro Resorts to OnlyFans for Financial Aid in Career, Potential Precedent for Others in the Field

In the world of professional tennis, prize pots have been steadily increasing, with the 2025 pot reaching a record $249 million, a 13% increase from the previous year. The US Open alone boasted a purse of $90 million. However, for some players like Sachia Vickery, the financial rewards do not accurately reflect the expenses associated with a career in tennis.

Vickery, a professional tennis player with a career prize money of $2.1 million, has spoken out about the additional costs she's incurred, including over $100,000 on coaching, fitness, physio, recovery, and MRIs. This financial struggle has led Vickery to explore alternative revenue streams, such as the online platform OnlyFans.

OnlyFans, which has over 4 million creators as of 2024, is an online subscription service that allows users to post videos and photos for their fans. While it is primarily known for adult content, not all content on the platform is overtly NSFW. Vickery clarified that her content on OnlyFans does not include sexual content or nudity.

Vickery joined OnlyFans during an injury-induced hiatus from playing, and has since generated around six figures within the first three months. This additional income has provided Vickery with financial freedom, a sentiment she shares with many athletes in less lucrative sports who have turned to OnlyFans as a popular side gig.

Vickery's success on OnlyFans has not gone unnoticed within the tennis community. She has reportedly had other tennis players express curiosity about the platform. Among them is Nick Kyrgios, who created pickleball content with Vickery for the OnlyFans TV platform.

While Vickery acknowledges that she doesn't need the money from OnlyFans, she finds it an "easy source of income." She has also expressed a willingness to continue her OnlyFans career after retiring from tennis, but only if it offers a significant financial opportunity.

In light of her experiences, Vickery warns tennis's governing bodies to pay more attention to the financial struggles of lower-ranked players. She is particularly excited about the potential of this new revenue stream in her twilight years as a tennis player.

As the WTA works towards equal prize money on its biggest events, with a commitment of $400 million to help achieve equal prize money at combined events by 2027 and all WTA 1000/500 events by 2033, Vickery's journey serves as a reminder of the ongoing financial challenges faced by many professional athletes.

Vickery returned to tennis action for the first time in six months at the US Open this week, losing in the second round of qualifying. Despite this setback, her journey on OnlyFans continues, providing a unique insight into the financial realities of a professional athlete's career.