Jo Durie turned down £25,000 to play in Australia because of her brother’s wedding

Jo Durie was Britain’s number one tennis player for most of her career, winning two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles with Jeremy Bates: at Wimbledon in 1987 and the Australian Open in 1991.

She was also only the second British woman, after Virginia Wade, to win $1 million in prize money, writes Peter Robertson.

Jo retired in 1995 and became a coach and commentator for the BBC. Now 63, she is a high-performance coach and mentor at the Unique Tennis Academy at Hazelwood Sports Club in north London, where she lives.

What did your parents teach you about money?

When I was younger, there was never much money. I have three brothers. We were told never to waste money or buy anything we couldn’t afford. My father worked at Lloyds Bank and he always said, “Pay for things, pay people back, never owe anything.”

What was your first salary?

At the Eastbourne Junior National Championships in 1972 and 1973 I think I gained 30 pounds, although it might have been more like 10. In the final I beat my great rival and friend Debbie Jevans, who is now the boss of Wimbledon.

Have you ever had trouble making ends meet?

Yes. When I left school at 16 and moved to London, my parents couldn’t give me much money. I got help from the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association), but things were tough until I started earning at 18.

Have you ever been paid an absurd amount of money?

I was once offered £25,000 (almost £80,000 today) to fly business class to Australia for a weekend to play an exhibition tournament, I think with Steffi Graf and two male players, in 1984. But I would have missed my brother Christopher’s wedding, so I said no. I hope she appreciated it!

What has been the best year of your financial life?

It was the 1983/84 season. I was reaching the semi-finals of Grand Slams, my prize money was increasing, I moved up to world number 5 and had some very good sponsorship deals. That meant I could afford to move from a flat to the house I still live in.

Are you a spender or a saver?

Thrifty. I like nice things, but I like to make sure I don’t go too far outside my comfort zone.

What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought for fun?

In 2001, I decided to buy a Mini Cooper for £12,000. It was a ridiculous decision because, as I am 1.80m tall, it barely fit me and my tennis and golf equipment. I kept it for a year.

What is your biggest financial mistake?

In the 80s, when I was first starting to have success, I was very naive and invested in a couple of things that friends of friends said, “This would be a good thing to invest in.” But they were projects that never took off and I lost about £20,000. Nowadays, I would ask myself more questions.

The best financial decision you’ve ever made?

I paid off my £68,000 mortgage in 1984/85 when I started making a lot of money.

Do you still have a pension?

Yes, and I’ve been surprised at how well I’ve done. I haven’t stopped. I’m not married and I don’t have kids, so I’m not worried about having enough money in case something goes wrong with my health.

Do you own any property?

My house in London. It has three bedrooms and a very nice little garden. Years ago I was tempted to buy a property in La Manga, Spain, where I sometimes teach and play golf, but I never did and I regret it.

Do you donate money to charities?

Yes. I have three cats and I donate to the RSPCA. I also donate to the RNLI and North London Hospice.

What would you have done if tennis hadn’t worked out?

I was very interested in being a physiotherapist: that was my plan B.

But luckily, when I was 18 I met my wonderful coach Alan Jones (who passed away in April) and was able to get a sponsor. We never had a contract – our relationship was based on trust.

To what extent do you think prize money affects players’ motivation?

In my time, we all had to play tournaments to earn enough money to travel and have a coach. Nowadays, the money is fantastic, but I see a lot of tournaments where players retire and you wonder what that means to them.

Do you think women should receive the same monetary award?

Yes. We give our best and if they wanted us to also play best of five sets matches (instead of three sets), we would do that.

You are only the second British player to win a million dollars in prize money. How do you feel about that?

When I found out about that, I was really shocked and proud. It was tough getting to that point and I fought like crazy. When Jeremy (Bates) and I won the mixed doubles tournament at Wimbledon, we got £25,000 to split between the two of us – I treated myself and my family, went on holiday and bought some shares.

Would you have won more if you hadn’t played alongside Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf?

I don’t know. There were other good players too. I never beat Martina or Chrissie, but it was a privilege to play when they did, and also with Steffi, because that made me play better.

Tennis prize money is much higher now – would you rather be competing today?

I’m not sure. I was lucky enough to grow up when the game was amateur and there were wooden rackets. We didn’t have social media back then, which I’m glad about. I loved my career back then and I’d stick with that.

If you were the new Chancellor, what would you do?

I would opt to ban inheritance tax.

What is your biggest whim?

Good equipment and good golf courses. Although I am pretty average, I like to spend the day playing golf with my friends. My handicap is around 15. I have been too competitive in my tennis career to worry about being competitive in golf. I wish I had been a golfer. It would have been great not to have to rush anywhere!

What is your number one financial priority?

To make sure I have enough money to feel safe if something happens to my health.