Pay inequality risks tennis talent: report

Tennis talent could be lost because many professional players aren't earning enough to cover the costs, a report has found.

The total prize pool for professional players is more than $300 million a year but, even with sponsorship deals, 95 per cent of more than 7000 surveyed players are not turning a profit.

The report by Tennis Australia, Victoria University and Kingston University found the majority of the prize pool is divided among one per cent of players.

Top-earning athletes like Australia's highest ranked player Nick Kyrgios are not the norm, Victoria University data analyst Dr Michael Bane says.

"It's now typical for athletes to spend up to seven years reaching profitable rankings, if at all," he said.

Dr Bane said the viability of a tennis tour had to be considered when most of the prize money goes to players who, in some cases, don't rely on prize money to sustain their careers.

"Bottom line is if talent is lost simply because people can't pay the bills, the sport and fans suffer in the long term," he said.

Figures show the top 50 ranked men, and top 26 women, received 62 per cent and 51 per cent of the total prize pool respectively in 2014.

In 2013, only the top 160 male players and 150 female players turned a profit.

Mr Bane said even among the top 32 ranked men there was severe pay inequality.

"In comparison, AFL, golf and motorsports show a far less rapid decline in pay with ranking," according to the report.

The ITF will use the report as part of a prize money structures and junior development pathway review in March.