Insight: Australia’s world doubles No.1 Storm Hunter on financial hardship and rise to rankings top

Five years ago, Storm Hunter was so broke she had no idea if she could get back on the professional tennis circuit. She opens up on the financial struggles and sacrifices that have taken her to No.1.

Five years ago, Storm Hunter’s tennis career was at the crossroads.

Sidelined for a year with a shoulder injury, her doubles and singles rankings were in triple figures and she was down to the last $1000 in her bank account.

Turning to work as a tennis coach to pay the bills, Hunter began to doubt if she would ever return to life on the professional tennis circuit.

“My rankings were 100-200, singles and doubles, and I was out for a full year. I couldn’t play, I couldn’t earn any money through playing tennis,” Hunter said.

“I got a job working as a coach and I was studying as well because I really didn’t think I was going to come back to play professional tennis, so I started thinking about the future and obviously you need an income as well to survive.

Storm Hunter has risen from the brink of quitting the sport to become the world’s No.1 doubles player. Picture: Getty

“When I started feeling better and got healthy again, I still had to make the decision whether I wanted to play.

“I had less than $1000 in my bank account. I was living in Melbourne with my boyfriend at the time – now husband – and he was supporting us, basically. He had his full-time job.

“I said to him I literally have $1000 for a flight to Europe and if it doesn’t go well, I’m just going to have to somehow find the money to get home and then the dream’s over.”

Fast forward five years and Hunter’s gamble on that last grand and a one-way ticket to Europe has paid off.

In a classic tale of persistence, the 29-year-old emerged as Australia’s newest world No. 1 after climbing to the top of the doubles rankings this year.

Hunter, playing alongside Belgian star Elise Mertens, became only the third Australian woman – and the first in 17 years – to hold the No. 1 ranking in doubles.

Hunter – then Storm Sanders – at the 2019 French Open. Picture: Getty

A career-best season on the court has also equated to career best earnings with Hunter turning that last $1000 into more than $1.6 million in prize money in 2023.

The 29-year-old climbed to top spot in the doubles rankings after reaching the semi-finals at the WTA Finals in Cancun last month, which followed WTA 1000 titles at Rome and Guadalajara as well as a Wimbledon runner-up.

Off the back of her breakthrough season, Hunter is now a favourite to win the John Newcombe Medal on Monday night.

Hunter’s success and prize money windfall allowed her husband, Loughlin, to quit his job so he could join her on the tennis tour this season.

Loughlin made the move mid-year and he will again travel with Hunter on the tour next year.

It was a move which Hunter said had “taken the pressure off her”.

“It’s a great thing that I am playing and doing really well, but it means that I am not coming home at all and spending eight months on the road, week in and week out,” Hunter (nee Sanders) said.

“We kind of had the discussion where we were in a position financially that we can do it …. and he was super supportive and really happy to do that.

“He loves work, he’s a workaholic like I am, and it was a big ask for him as well to come on the road and sacrifice his own career and his work to support me.

“It was just one of those things that we wanted to do together and we’re just very lucky and thankful that we can do that and it’s a nice reward for everything.

“It takes off the pressure because I don’t have the emotions of missing him and trying to think, ‘When am I going to go back to Australia or Melbourne to see him, when are we ever going to spend time together?’. For me, that is the most important thing.

“That’s bigger than tennis, that’s our relationship and life after tennis as well.

“Even if you have a bad day at the office you have your supporter and the No. 1 person in your life with you.”

Hunter partners up with Elise Mertens – on their rise to the top of the rankings. Picture: AFP

Professionally, Hunter’s greater earnings will also allowed her to put a beefed up support team around her.

Hunter plans to hire a new coach full-time next year, while she also has a Melbourne-based strength and conditioning coach and also taps into a sports psychologist at home when she needs to.

“I don’t need that many people, I think a coach is already enough for me,” Hunter said.

“But I’ll also outsource (if I need to). I feel lucky that I don’t have to worry about the finances as much now.

“I can actually think about who I need on my team, coach-wise, physio, fitness, I can kind of plan that a little bit more which is amazing.”

Hunter said it took her until she was 27 before she actually started making money out of tennis, rather than just covering costs to keep herself on the tour.

Hunter (R) in her comeback year after a shoulder injury threatened her career. Picture: Getty

She estimated the cost of staying on tour could be up to $200,000 a year, depending on the size of the support team.

“When I was playing the ITF level, you’re not earning any money at all. You are paying for your flights, accommodation for every event,” she said.

“You are not getting any support from the tournaments, they are not providing the accommodation, you are playing $300 a night just to compete and obviously then that increases the pressure of having to win because if you don’t win, you are losing money.

“Cost-wise, at least probably $100-200,000 a year, minimum. That’s probably without even a coach or a team supporting you, you have to fund that yourself.

“I was lucky growing up until about (the age of) 21-22, I had a lot of support from Tennis Australia, which we’re really lucky in Australia to have.

“They were providing me with a coach and a little bit of funding to help with flights and accommodation, but then obviously once you get a little bit older, you are kind of on your own and if you want to do it, you have to fund yourself.

“I kind of finally have a little bit less stress about the finances, which is crazy at 29.”

Hunter has since made an impact on both singles and doubles. Picture: Getty

Now that she’s conquered the world in doubles, Hunter, who will have a new doubles partner for 2024 after an amicable split with Mertens, has an improved singles ranking in her sights.

Hunter has a singles ranking of 171 in the world, but she acknowledged there would be a fine balance between seeking singles success and not wanting to jeopardise her doubles performances and income.

“That is definitely a consideration that I have to make when I am looking at my schedule and which events I will potentially miss with the doubles, which obviously not just misses the opportunity, but the finances as well,” said Hunter, who will represent Australia at the United Cup in Perth in late December and early January.

“I am definitely older, I’m not a young athlete who doesn’t even think about that – they just have these dreams and they are doing everything they can.

“I’m definitely not planning to play this sport for 10 more years, it’s only a couple more years and I have a future to think about with my husband and how that looks.

“So it’s definitely a consideration because going back to singles where my ranking is right now, I am going to have to play ITF level events and obviously I know going back to them I am not earning money, I am basically investing my money to try and get my singles ranking higher.

“I definitely need to consider that because it is my job and I have to try and make money and look after myself and my family and my team.”

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Originally published as Insight: Australia’s world doubles No.1 Storm Hunter on financial hardship and rise to rankings top