Tennis star was pressured to ask associates to purchase meals for him after monetary troubles
This Australian tennis star reached two Grand Slam finals and earned £5.2m in prize money, but he eventually struggled to afford food after a 2009 injury spell
Mark Philippoussis is now a commentator but the tennis star once suffered hardship(Image: Getty)
Former tennis star Mark Philippoussis has revealed the financial hardships he endured after injuries disrupted his career. Philippoussis reached two Grand Slam finals but found himself relying on others for food after multiple surgeries put an end to his sporting aspirations.
The 49-year-old Melbourne-born player made it to the fourth round of the Australian Open four times. Philippoussis clinched 11 singles titles, including victory at Indian Wells in 1999 and reached a career-high ranking of No. 8 in the world.
His Grand Slam highlights include making it to the 1998 US Open final and the 2003 Wimbledon final. However, just six years after facing off against Roger Federer at SW19, the Australian was struggling to afford food for his family.
By the time he played Federer at the All England Club, Philippoussis had already undergone three knee surgeries, losing a final that is now remembered as the Swiss legend’s first of 20 Grand Slam victories.
Over the next six years, Philippoussis would have three more knee operations, leading to a decline in his performance and earnings as he was sidelined so often.
In 2009, during another period out of action, Philippoussis found it difficult to provide for his family. More than a decade later, during a 2021 appearance on the TV show SAS Australia, he disclosed the full extent of his financial struggles.
Watch the Australian Open live on TNT Sports
The 2026 Australian Open is now underway and fans can watch all the action live from Melbourne on TNT Sports via Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel.
“I was out for a few months. I couldn’t afford much, actually,” Philippoussis admitted. “I had to ask friends just to shop for food. We would always, just, for seven days in a row we’d have this cabbage pasta that ends up being one of my favourites but my mum calls it ‘poor people’s food’ because it’s so simple, it’s just cabbage with some spices and pasta.
“I felt very much ashamed because they gave their dream for me and my responsibility was to look after them. I was in a dark place and had depression. There’s no greater pain in my heart than watching my loved ones suffer because of my actions.”
The two-time Grand Slam finalist eventually hung up his racket in 2015, having pocketed £5.2million ($6.9m) in total prize money throughout his career.
Philippoussis shed light on why he had previously shunned financial planning for the future, despite his recurring injury woes. He stated: “When you’re an athlete, the last thing you want to think about…
“They always say, ‘Save for a rainy day.’ And I feel like you’re weak if you feel like you might get injured and you have to have something to back up to – that’s a sign of weakness. You can’t think that way because you’ve got to keep going, you’ve got to get back from injuries and you’re going to be OK.”
Philippoussis managed to turn his life around and embarked on a coaching career in tennis, even working with Stefanos Tsitsipas, and also landed broadcasting gigs.
