ROME — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka believes tennis players should organize a boycott if they don´t start receiving a bigger share of tournament revenues at the Grand Slams.
“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,” Sabalenka said on Tuesday at the Italian Open as she celebrated her 28th birthday.
“I think at some point we will boycott it. I feel like that´s going to be the only way to fight for our rights,” she added according to AP.
Sabalenka and fellow No. 1 Jannik Sinner were among leading players – most of them ranked in the top 10 – who issued a statement on Monday expressing “deep disappointment” over the French Open prize money.
The players are also seeking better representation, health options and pensions from the four Grand Slam tournaments: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
French Open organisers announced last month they were increasing overall prize money by about 10 per cent for an overall pot of 61.7 million euros ($72.1 million), with the total amount up 5.3 million euros from last year.
But the players´ statement said “the underlying figures tell a very different story,” claiming they will receive a smaller share of tournament revenues.
“Players´ share of Roland Garros tournament revenue has declined from 15.5 per cent in 2024 to 14.9 per cent projected in 2026,” the players said.
Iga Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, said “the most important thing is to have proper communication and discussions with the governing bodies so we have some space to talk and maybe negotiate.
“Hopefully before Roland Garros there´s going to be opportunity to have these type of meetings and we´ll see how they go,” Swiatek added. “But boycotting the tournament, it´s a bit extreme kind of situation.”
French Open organisers did not respond to a request for comment after the players issued their statement.
Jasmine Paolini, the Italian who reached the final of the French Open and Wimbledon in 2024, also suggested a boycott could be an option.
“If we´re all in agreement and I think we are – the men and the women are united right now – it´s something we could do,” Paolini said.
Paolini added that the WTA and ATP Tours – which organize all of the other tournaments – have done more than the Grand Slams to provide players with benefits, such as maternity leave, and retirement plans.
“There´s a lot of things that the Slams are not doing,” Paolini said, “that the WTA and I think the ATP are doing.”
The French Open starts on May 24.
