A group of elite tennis players, including Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff, and Aryna Sabalenka, have announced they will restrict their media commitments for the entire first week of Wimbledon, from Monday, June 29, to Sunday, July 5. This protest mirrors a similar demonstration during the French Open media day last month but represents an escalation in duration and scope.
Demands for Greater Revenue Share
The players are demanding a larger portion of tournament revenue distributed through prize money, contributions to welfare schemes, and a stronger voice in decision-making. The All England Club recently announced a £10.7 million (20%) increase in prize money for this year's Championships, bringing the total to £64.2 million. However, the player group argues that prize money represents roughly 14.4% of revenue, far below the 22% they are seeking.
In a statement, the players said they will "limit their contractual media commitments at the tournament to 15 minutes – reflecting that Wimbledon currently pays slightly below 15 per cent of revenues to players as prize money – for the duration of the first week of the Championships." Representatives have notified Wimbledon's leadership of this intended action, while acknowledging the 20% prize money boost.
Unresolved Concerns
The group highlighted three main concerns. First, they claim they "received no substantive response from Wimbledon" regarding proposals for a player welfare fund and a formal player council, submitted a year ago. Second, they noted that the players' share of Wimbledon's protected revenues would stand at 14.4%, 0.5% lower than a decade ago. Third, they expressed concern over "recent public comments from Wimbledon's leadership have questioned the principle of a revenue-sharing formula — the very foundation of the proposal."
All England Club chair Deborah Jevans earlier stated that using revenue to determine prize money "makes no sense" because Wimbledon is not-for-profit and reinvests funds into the sport. She said: "Revenues does not take into account the investments that we do. And as I've spoken about, we’re not-for-profit, we’re very different to a Masters 1000 event, everything goes back in the sport. So, I am frustrated that that message hasn't gotten across."
Impact on BBC Coverage
The 15-minute media limit could significantly affect BBC coverage during the first week. At the French Open, protesting players held traditional press conferences and gave a single brief TV interview with the host broadcaster, declining additional filming. World No.1 Sabalenka cut short her English press conference to switch to her national language, staying within the 15-minute allowance.
As a result, the BBC may have very limited time to interview top players during the tournament's opening week. The All England Club has not yet responded to the players' plans. Wimbledon begins on Monday, with the draw scheduled for Friday and media weekend starting Saturday.
