Used to a playboy lifestyle full of fast cars and wild purchases, Mark Philippoussis became ashamed when money troubles finally hit.
The story of Mark Philippoussis could perfectly serve as an example for many athletes about what can happen if they do not manage their resources well or do not have good advice behind them. The former Australian tennis player managed to become number 8 in the world after his family bet everything on him, something that he has openly recognized in recent hours, being the hero of reality from television in his native Australia, SAS Australia.
In it, the former professional tennis player has recognized how difficult that time was not only for him but also for his family. Severely affected by various injuries, he saw his income begin to decline until he was left with nothing, having to resort to the help of many friends to be able to eat.
“My family is my world, it is my priority, my everything. I had the dream of becoming a professional tennis player and my family put everything on the line. My father had a good job in the banking business and he quit because he said he wanted to help me fulfil my dreams, so he left his dreams and I worked very hard to fulfil mine, “he began by recounting
“When you’re an athlete, the last thing you want to think about is what they always tell you: ‘Save for a rainy day.’ You feel like you’re weak when you get injured and you have something to back up. You can’t think that way because you have to keep going, you have to recover and be fine, I was gone for a few months. I couldn’t afford much, I had to ask my friends to buy food“, he explained about the moment when he had to face his sixth knee surgery, in 2009.
“We ate cabbage pasta seven days a week until it ended up being one of my favourite foods. My mother said it was ‘poor man’s food’ because it is so simple. I felt very ashamed because they gave me their dream and my responsibility was to take care of them. I was in a dark place and I had depression. There is no greater pain than seeing my loved ones suffer for my actions, “he added.
In his case, not only the injuries caused his financial ruin, and that of his family, but also the mismanagement of his wealth when he was among the elite of world tennis: luxury cars, 15 motorcycles and all kinds of expenses that today continues to regret. In 2009, he had to go to court to avoid foreclosure on his family home due to late mortgage payments. “Paying bills and not having an income has been difficult for several years, but everyone has to go through it,” he said.
After being encouraged to rediscover his aggression on SAS and channel it into something meaningful, Philippoussis took action. As all the celebrity contestants were pitted against each other in boxing matches, the tennis star left musician Pete Murray a little worse for wear.