Kyrgios: "He still doesn't understand the point. We at the top get paid far too much and there is not enough to go around."
Wednesday 29 April 2020 11:13, UK
Nick Kyrgios has criticised Dominic Thiem for his opposition to the notion that top tennis players should help lower-ranked competitors financially.
Earlier this month, World No 1 Novak Djokovic urged fellow pros to contribute to a fund set up by the sport's major governing bodies.
The fund will help players most affected financially by the shutdown which began in March and will continue at least until mid-July due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Thiem - ranked third in the world - went on to question the movement, saying some players further down the ladder do not deserve handouts because of their "unprofessional" attitudes.
The Austrian's stance led World No 40 Kyrgios to claim top players "get paid far too much", adding that Thiem should empathise with lower-ranked players.
"He still doesn't understand the point," Kyrgios said on Instagram. "We at the top get paid far too much and there is not enough to go around.
"It's about helping where we can, professional or unprofessional, put yourself in their shoes."
Speaking to Austrian newspaper Krone, Thiem said he felt there were sections of society that needed more urgent help during the economic crisis caused by the pandemic than his fellow competitors.
The three-time Grand Slam finalist also criticised some players on the lower-tier Futures circuit.
"I've seen players on the ITF-Tour who don't commit to the sport 100 per cent," Thiem, 26, said.
"Many of them are quite unprofessional. I don't see why I should give them money. I'd rather donate to people and institutions who really need it.
"There is no profession in the world where you are guaranteed success and high income at the start of your career.
"None of the top players took anything for granted. We all had to fight our way up the rankings."
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