“I'd make more money at McDonald's” - YouTuber Karue Sell bemoans players being 'robbed' as he breaks into ATP top 300, calls on Novak Djokovic's PTPA

After breaking into the ATP Tour's Top 300, men's singles player and Youtuber Karue Sell is speaking out about the lack of funding on the lower levels of the sport. The Brazilian has found fame on the internet as he documents his journey of turning pro at 30, after a five-year hiatus from the sport.

Sell stopped competing on the ATP circuit after 2019, and made a gradual comeback to tennis last year, playing several ITF events. In 2024, he made a return to the ATP Tour, with his best performances being semifinal finishes at the DirecTV Open Bogota and the Las Vegas Tennis Open Challenger events.

Karue Sell has also made the quarterfinals of the Brazil Tennis Open and the Lima Challenger. His performances have seen him rise to the rank of World No. 299, and he recently spoke out about the funding issues on the lower ranks of tennis, calling out Novak Djokovic's PTPA to bring some change. Taking to X, he wrote,

“Today I broke 300 for the first time. Yet I'd make more money working at McDonald's 😂 I'm ok because of my online work but I feel for my peers. The level is so high now all the way to 400 (at least), go watch a challenger. Tennis outgrew the conventional top 100.”

“Not saying players need to make millions but they are being robbed across the board. Top 50 should make more, 100, 150, 200. There's money. Would love to see some real change here @ptpaplayers. Without a union players have no say. Just shut up and play.”

Sell went on to add that decisions like ATP Challenger events getting reduced to fewer points further hampered the sport, and expressed that he felt that players in the Top 100 were underpaid as well.

He ended by saying that he loved the sport, but wouldn't recommend it to his kids as a career choice, writing,

“Since this thread is growing, I just want to say I love the sport. I love playing, training, watching. But as a career it's not one I'd recommend to my kids. I'm for the players as players are the product. Help the players and the product will grow.”

Karue Sell slams lengthy competitive season

The lack of funding isn't the only issue on the ATP Tour that Karue Sell has spoken out against. The Brazilian had previously lashed out at the lengthy tennis calendar, after Carlos Alcaraz claimed that the schedule was ‘going to kill us’.

Sell opined that the season needed to end after the US Open, calling the 11 months season ‘nuts’, writing,

“Tennis season needs to end after the US Open. Couple events in Asia, finals. Done. At all levels. Supplemental events can flourish (team tennis, club tennis, utr, UTS and so on) so players can still make some 💵. Nobody cares anymore. 11 month season is nuts.”

After a semifinals finish at the Las Vegas Tennis Open, Karue Sell is now scheduled to compete at the Challenger Antofagasta in Chile. He will take on Tomas Farjat for his opening round match on September 24.