The ugly side of Wimbledon: Players sleeping in spare rooms, struggling for cash

Alex Ward stayed in a friend's spare room after qualifying for Wimbledon but lost his first round match to Kyle Edmund. Photo/Getty Images

No coach, a maxed credit card and a friend's spare room is hardly the glamour side of Wimbledon.

But that's the reality for some competitors who haven't yet made the tennis big time.

British player Alex Ward, 27, was knocked out of the tournament on Tuesday after gaining a surprise entry by beating Russia's Teymuraz Gabashvili in the qualifying round.

Ward, ranked 855 in the world after a recent injury, said he had to send his four shirts off to be washed before his game with fellow Brit Kyle Edmund.

Despite losing three sets to one, the $60,000 cash injection Wimbledon brings will be a lifeline for the Barcelona-based player who doesn't have a coach and has been sleeping in his friend's spare room during the tournament.

Now, having clawed his way back from maxed out credit cards, the young player plans to use the money to invest in a full-time coach in a bid for further success.

"It's always been luckily the right time for a cash injection and again it's happened this year," he told The Telegraph before his match.

"Last year, with this wrist problem, I sought a few specialists and nobody was coming up with any answers. The money was running low. So that was a tough period. But I've always wanted to do it if I can, if it's possible."

It is an attitude that is in stark contrast with that of Australia's Bernard Tomic, who admitted he struggled for motivation is first-round loss overnight and was "bored" on court.

British 20-year-old wildcard entry Katie Boulter is in a similar situation to Ward. She will use the $60,000 to hire a coach to travel with in what she describes as a "game-changer".

Boulter too has fought back from injury and is ranked in the top 300 but now wants to become number one in the world.

"It's been a lifelong goal to play at Wimbledon, it's so surreal now it's happening. I'm just savouring each moment and having the best time of my life."

"I think shopaholic sums me up. Obviously I want to win some rounds and you get some more money, but the majority is going to go into my tennis," she said.

The situation for struggling players is a far cry from the world's top seeds who are surrounded by a team of professionals with ice baths, massages and sushi at the ready to help with their post-match recovery.

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Tennis London owner Joanna Doniger has been renting property to tennis superstars from all over the world for more than 30 years and said top stars look to hire local homes at "premium" rates.

"They rent home within 20 minutes' walk of the tournament," she said. "There are no hotels in that radius and that is really why they tend to rent a home for two weeks. They do have to take it for two weeks so if they're going to get knocked out in the first few days it's a very expensive proposition."

She said homes in the area range from more than $20,000 a week for a five-bedroom home that might come with electronic security gates to ensure privacy for top players, or space for corporate clients to erect a marquee in the backyard.

At the cheaper end, young doubles players might secure a three-bedroom terraced home for around $4200 per week, or even stay in a local bed and breakfast with their coach.

As for any diva requests from the players, Ms Doniger wouldn't disclose her clients' requirements but said: "I won't let out houses that aren't extremely comfortable."

"They all have big beds, proper power showers, a very large television and proper Wi-Fi, that's about all the players want to be happy."