Thiem not keen on plan to assist struggling players

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Men's Singles Final - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - February 2, 2020. Austria's Dominic Thiem reacts during his match against Serbia's Novak Djokovic. REUTERS/Issei Kato

(Reuters) - World number three Dominic Thiem has rejected the notion that the top tennis players should chip in to help lower-ranked competitors who are struggling financially due to the pause in tournaments because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

World number one Novak Djokovic last week urged players to contribute to a fund set up by the sport's major governing bodies to help players affected by a shutdown which began in March and will continue at least until mid-July.