Tensions have escalated in the tennis world after a group of top players voiced their dissatisfaction with the prize money allocated for the French Open at Roland Garros, asserting that their previous demands have not been adequately addressed, according to reports from Sky News.
Approximately 20 elite male and female players, including Italy’s Jannik Sinner, Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, the United States’ Coco Gauff, and Poland’s Iga Swiatek, sent a formal letter to the four Grand Slam tournaments in May of last year. They called for a larger share of tournament revenues and a stronger role in decision-making processes within the sport.
Despite earlier positive signals from the major tournaments indicating a willingness to open dialogue, frustration among players has grown. This prompted the same group—which includes many top 10-ranked players—to issue a new statement reflecting rising anger within the tennis community.
The Roland Garros organizing committee had announced earlier this month a 9.5% increase in total prize money compared to last year, with singles champions in both men’s and women’s draws receiving €2.8 million each. However, players rejected the increase, arguing it does not reflect the tournament’s significant revenue growth. They stated that their actual share of revenue has dropped to below 15%, compared to their target of 22% and far behind the 20% increase seen at the US Open last year and the nearly 16% rise at the Australian Open in January.
Players’ demands extend beyond financial matters to include fundamental issues such as investment in social welfare programs, contributions to pension funds, and greater representation in administrative bodies that make key decisions for the sport. The statement concluded that Roland Garros is heading toward record revenues while players’ share of the value they directly help create continues to shrink, deepening the divide between the two sides.