Played injured

Tennis lady: “Where else am I supposed to earn money?”

Daria Saville played despite an injury.(Bild: Getty Images/AL BELLO)

Frank words from Daria Saville! The Russian tennis star competed in the first round of the US Open despite a persistent injury. The reason: the high prize money at the Grand Slam tournament. "Where else am I going to earn money?" said the 30-year-old.

There is a new record prize money for tennis players at this year's US Open. 75 million dollars (68.7 million euros) - no other tennis tournament has ever paid out so much money. The winners of the singles competitions will receive 3.6 million dollars, an increase of 20 percent compared to the previous year. Anyone who made it into the main draw of the US Open has already secured a 100,000 dollar check.

And Daria Saville also snapped this up. Despite an inflammation of the tendon plate on the sole of her foot, she competed in New York, losing narrowly to Ena Shibahara from Japan 3:6, 6:4 and 6:7(6). She was determined to play for financial reasons, Saville revealed: "Where else am I going to earn money? I lose money every week when I bring a coach. Where else am I going to earn prize money like this?"

"It's no fun"
 Saville posted a picture on Instagram after the game showing her in the treatment room. "I can't walk anymore," she wrote after the three-hour tennis thriller.

And revealed thoughts of retiring: "Sometimes I feel like I don't want to do this anymore. It's no fun playing injured."