As the summer heat blazes over New York, all eyes are on the US Open qualifiers. Among the players fighting for a place in the main draw is 30-year-old American Sachia Vickery. Once a rising star in the sport, she is now better known for something very different—and it has shaken the world of tennis to its core.
This week, Vickery returned to competition after a long absence, defeating Anastasiya Soboleva in her opening qualifying match. But while she chases her tennis dreams on the court, away from it she has built a very different source of income—one that has raised eyebrows, sparked outrage, and started countless conversations online.
Vickery is no longer simply chasing forehands and prize money. She has turned to OnlyFans, where she sells provocative photos and videos, and she has made a bold declaration that has divided her fan base: “I no longer date for free.”
From Tennis Courts to Provocative Content
Vickery has never been shy about her struggles in the sport. Since turning professional in 2011, she has earned just over $2 million across her 14-year career—a respectable sum, but not nearly enough to compare with the millions top players collect. Her ranking has slipped to No. 559, far from the heights of 2018 when she reached World No. 73. For a player once tipped as America’s next big talent, the slide has been steep.
Instead of hiding away, Vickery took a leap in January by joining OnlyFans. She announced the move on Instagram with a teasing photo and the caption, “Tennis anyone? OF link in my bio.” The post landed like a thunderclap among her 39,000 followers. Suddenly, a player best known for gritty baseline rallies was posting steamy content for paying subscribers.
For $12.99 a month, her fans gain access to what she calls “content too spicy for Instagram.” On her page, she offers stripteases, shower videos, and provocative clips, often playing with tennis references in a cheeky twist. She even charges $1,000 upfront for anyone who wants to take her out on a date, insisting it’s the only way to deal with the “behavior of men.”
“I no longer date for free,” she declared in a Q&A session, leaving many shocked and others intrigued.
Backlash and Fierce Debate
But her decision has come at a cost. The tennis world, with its traditional image of white-clad players and prim country-club crowds, is not always forgiving. Critics have accused her of tarnishing the sport. One furious fan wrote online: “Who’s going to pay to take her on a date when she’s already shown everything for less than the price of a Happy Meal?”
The backlash has been harsh, but Vickery remains defiant. She insists she has no regrets and sees herself as breaking barriers in a sport often slow to change. “I’ve always pushed boundaries,” she explained on the Black Spin Global podcast. “I’m outspoken about the racial abuse I get online, about body shaming. I want to be honest about life. Tennis is still my career, but I’m also exploring other opportunities.”
A Revolutionary or a Risk?
For Vickery, the move is not just about money but independence. She says her platform gives her control over her image and a way to build financial security outside the unpredictable world of tennis. “It’s the easiest money I’ve ever made,” she admitted during another Q\&A. “I’ll never judge girls on OnlyFans again after seeing what I made in just two days. I was overwhelmed.”
But critics argue that she risks being remembered more for her racy side hustle than her achievements on court. Sponsors have remained silent, though some observers suggest her brand may become too controversial for traditional endorsements. Others, however, see her as a trailblazer—a player who refuses to be boxed in by outdated expectations.
Not the First Tennis Star to Cross the Line
Vickery is not the only tennis name to dabble in adult-themed ventures. Nick Kyrgios, tennis’s notorious bad boy, caused a stir when he partnered with OnlyFans earlier this year, even fronting a racy reality show called Smash City. French player Alexandre Muller, ranked inside the top 40, also has ties with the platform and has gone so far as to wear its logo on his kit. Former top-40 star Ashley Harkleroad joined in 2022, and Australian Arina Rodionova signed up this year after her marriage ended.
Yet Vickery’s case feels different. She is not at the top of the game, and unlike Kyrgios or Muller, she does not have lucrative sponsorship deals to cushion her. For her, OnlyFans is more than a gimmick—it is a genuine second career.
A Career of Highs and Lows
Born in Florida to athletic parents—her father, Rawle, was a soccer player, and her brother played football—Vickery trained at the prestigious Mouratoglou Academy in France before turning pro. She reached the second round of the US Open four times and once touched the edge of the top 70. But since then, injuries and inconsistency have kept her from fulfilling that early promise.
This year alone, she failed to qualify for the Australian Open and skipped both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The US Open, however, has always brought out the best in her, and she hopes to relaunch her career in New York.
For many fans, the question is whether her off-court decisions will overshadow her tennis. For Vickery, it seems irrelevant. She insists she can balance both worlds, and she is unbothered by those who disapprove.
Fans Divided, Future Uncertain
Reaction online has been mixed. Some fans support her unapologetic attitude, praising her for finding financial freedom in a sport that often pays women outside the top 100 very little. Others view her choices as degrading and a stain on the image of tennis.
“She’s brave for doing what she wants without caring about judgment,” wrote one admirer. Another fired back: “She’s throwing away her career and respect for quick money.”
The debate touches a deeper nerve about women in sport, financial pressures, and the double standards female athletes face compared to men. While Kyrgios was laughed off as eccentric for joining OnlyFans, Vickery has been vilified.
The Road Ahead
For now, Sachia Vickery is back in New York, trying to do what she once did best—win tennis matches. She faces Germany’s Ella Seidel in the second round of qualifying, hoping to keep her US Open campaign alive.
But whatever happens in Flushing Meadows, her story has already spilled far beyond the tennis pages. She has sparked a conversation about money, morality, and the choices athletes make when their careers don’t bring the fortune fans assume.
Vickery herself seems unshaken. “I’m very open-minded, and I don’t care what people think of me,” she told fans. “At the end of the day, I’m enjoying myself and making money. That’s all that matters.”
Whether history remembers her as a once-promising player who turned to risqué ventures, or as a woman who rewrote the rules of what it means to be an athlete in the modern age, remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Sachia Vickery has ensured that people are talking about her again—and in the world of professional sport, sometimes that’s half the battle.
