Tennis Taxes

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Teenagers rule O.K. Britain's Emma Raducanu took the 2021 U.S. Ladies Singles Trophy
by defeating Leylah Fernandez from Canada.

The ‘22 U.S. Open is here. I won’t be in New York to watch premium tennis, for reasons best known to my wallet. Plan B is vintage stores to hunt for that old school desk calculator accountants used to tally up our tax returns, many moons ago.

Why? I want to punch in numbers because the U.S. Open and all major tennis tournaments for that matter, are big money for players. Sure, they play for the game, for the experience, for the Hall of Fame but let’s get real. They serve, lob and backhand for the dollars.

Once I find that vintage desk calculator, I will punch in the prize money for:

Men’s singles winner

Ladies’ singles winner

Ladies’ doubles winners

Men’s doubles winners

Mixed doubles winners

But, I will get stuck at the taxes. The prize money is before tax. The phrase ‘after tax’ means the government in its benevolence, has grabbed its share. It doesn’t ask for permission. It grabs.

Let’s take the 2021 U.S. Open defending ladies’ singles winner Emma Raducanu for example. If she wins again, will she be taxed by the U.S. and U.K.? How about the exchange rate?

My head is spinning. Players are from all over the world so I must convert many currencies: dollars, ruble, euro, pesos, leu, pounds etc. To cool off, I’m off to vintage shops to look for the arrogant desk calculator. No, digital won’t do.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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