How Australia's world doubles No.1 Storm Hunter risked it all and gambled her last $1000 into $1.6m in prize money

Australian women's doubles world No.1 Storm Hunter has lifted the lid on her once dire financial situation after serious injuries almost forced her off the court for good.

Hunter, 29, is the first Australian woman in almost 20 years to hold the year-end WTA doubles No.1 ranking - but just five years ago her tennis career was at a crossroads.

The West Aussie revealed she had to resort to coaching tennis, and at one stage had less than $1000 in her bank account.

'My rankings were 100-200, singles and doubles, and I was out for a full year. I couldn't play, I couldn't earn any money through playing tennis,' Hunter told News Corp. 

'I got a job working as a coach and I was studying as well because I really didn't think I was going to come back to play professional tennis, so I started thinking about the future and obviously you need an income as well to survive.

'When I started feeling better and got healthy again, I still had to make the decision whether I wanted to play.

'I had less than $1000 in my bank account. I was living in Melbourne with my boyfriend at the time – now husband – and he was supporting us, basically. He had his full-time job.

'I said to him I literally have $1000 for a flight to Europe and if it doesn't go well, I'm just going to have to somehow find the money to get home and then the dream's over.'

Hunter's epic gamble paid off, with the world No.1 earning more than $1.6m in prize money during 2023.

The tennis star's income has even allowed Hunter's husband Loughlin to quit his job and help her tour.

'It's a great thing that I am playing and doing really well, but it means that I am not coming home at all and spending eight months on the road, week in and week out,' Hunter said.

'We kind of had the discussion where we were in a position financially that we can do it …. and he was super supportive and really happy to do that.

'He loves work, he's a workaholic like I am, and it was a big ask for him as well to come on the road and sacrifice his own career and his work to support me.

'It was just one of those things that we wanted to do together and we're just very lucky and thankful that we can do that and it's a nice reward for everything.

'It takes off the pressure because I don't have the emotions of missing him and trying to think, 'When am I going to go back to Australia or Melbourne to see him, when are we ever going to spend time together?'. For me, that is the most important thing.

'That's bigger than tennis, that's our relationship and life after tennis as well.

'Even if you have a bad day at the office you have your supporter and the No. 1 person in your life with you.'

In November Hunter was honoured at Kia Arena for her remarkable 2023 achievement, with Tennis Australia team members gathering to toast her climb to the summit.

Hunter became very emotional as she thanked everybody for attending. 

'I couldn't do that without the people around me. People from Tennis Australia who helped me a lot in those moments, just supported me, and didn't doubt me at all — they gave me the belief when I didn't have it myself. Which I'm super grateful for.

'And obviously my parents, my family, and everyone else in my team, I'm just really lucky and feel really incredible and grateful to play this sport – I think it's a beautiful sport and we're the luckiest people in the world to be involved in tennis. And it's a sport for life.