World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka has warned that top tennis players could boycott grand slam tournaments if their demands for increased prize money and a greater share of event revenues are not addressed. The Belarusian star made the comments at the Italian Open, where she is competing this week.
Players Express Collective Disappointment
Sabalenka's remarks follow a statement released over the weekend by leading players from the men's and women's top 10, expressing their “deep and collective disappointment” at the prize money on offer at this year's French Open. The group, which includes Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Coco Gauff, is pushing for more consultation with grand slam organisers on matters such as scheduling and for the creation of a player welfare fund funded by the tournaments.
According to the players, their share of the overall revenue generated by Roland Garros is projected to decline to 14.3 per cent this year. They are pushing for a figure closer to the 22 per cent received at mixed events on the ATP and WTA Tours with equal prize money, such as Indian Wells and this month's Italian Open.
Sabalenka: Boycott May Be Necessary
When asked how far players might go to achieve their desired changes, Sabalenka told reporters: “I think at some point we will boycott it, yeah. I feel like that's going to be the only way to fight for our rights. Let's see how far we can get, if it's going to take players for boycott... Some of the things, I feel like it's really unfair to the players. I think at some point it's going to get to this.”
While French Open organisers have announced a 9.5 per cent increase in total prize money for this year's tournament, rising to an overall pot of €61.7m (£53.7m), several leading players remain frustrated by what they see as a “declining share of the value they help create”. Prize money increased at all four grand slams last season, reaching a record £66.3m at the US Open. The winners of the men's and women's singles titles, Alcaraz and Sabalenka, took home £3.74m each, while Sinner and Iga Swiatek won £3m for winning Wimbledon.
Sabalenka argued that players deserve a greater share. “When you see the number and you see the amount the players are receiving... I feel like the show is on us. I feel like without us there wouldn't be a tournament and there wouldn't be that entertainment. I feel like definitely we deserve to be paid more percentage. What can I say?”
French Tennis Federation Responds
In response to the players' statement, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) told The Independent that a decision had been made to focus prize money increases on “players who exit the tournament in the early rounds of the main draw and the qualifying stages”. Figures released by Roland Garros reveal an increase of around 11 per cent for the first three rounds of the main draw, compared to a 9.8 per cent increase for the singles champions.
The FFT statement said: “Beyond prize money, the Roland-Garros model is based on a specific economic framework. The FFT is a non-profit organization. All revenues generated by the tournament are reinvested into the Roland-Garros tournament, as well as the development of tennis in France and internationally. This includes direct support for the development of the sport at grassroot level, training and pathway programs, strong commitment to women's tennis, inclusive tennis and wheelchair tennis, as well as significant contributions to international tennis development through the ITF. The FFT has also recently invested more than €400m in the Roland-Garros infrastructure, notably to significantly enhance player conditions and on-site services. Finally, the FFT remains fully committed to ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders in global tennis, including speaking directly with individual players. It will continue working to improve overall player conditions, in line with its responsibilities and its model.”
