CHENNAI: With the success of tournaments hinging upon star presence, it has been an old trick among organisers to pay appearance money to ensure the attendance of top players. But now, for the first time, a woman player is commanding a higher sum than her more famous and older male counterparts.
Sania Mirza is expected to take home $90,000 simply for the assurance that she will participate in the WTA Tour event in Bangalore next month. That is nearly double the amount that Leander Paes, who is a big draw wherever there is a sizeable Indian community, gets.
It is estimated that Paes will pocket up to $50,000 for his appearance in Doha, where he is playing this week. Incidentally, Mirza’s marketability shot up after her fine showing at the Doha Asian Games last month.
But the money is still peanuts to what the best in the game command. Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi were paid in the realm of a million dollars for featuring in tournaments in the Gulf. The only player in the present crop who commands a similar sum is world number one Roger Federer.
