The world's top tennis players are planning a protest over prize money by reducing their media appearances at the French Open, escalating their public battle with grand slam tournaments. Players selected for Friday's opening press conference at Roland Garros will walk out after 15 minutes, symbolizing that the slams allocate an average of 15% of their revenues to prize money. Other players will refuse to conduct additional interviews with the tournament's main media rights partners, TNT Sports and Eurosport.
Work-to-Rule Strategy
A source close to the players revealed that after the French Open confirmed this month's prize pot of €61.7 million (£52.6 million), locker room discussions led to a "work to rule strategy" in Paris, with off-court activities kept to a minimum. The players have studied the tournament rulebook and believe they will not be fined as long as they fulfill contractual obligations for short flash interviews after matches.
Dispute with Grand Slams
The leading 20 male and female players, including Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff, have been in dispute with all four grand slams for over a year. They argue they receive an insufficient share of increasing tournament revenues and have demanded enhanced welfare, pension provisions, and a greater say in scheduling.
After the French Open's prize money announcement, Sabalenka and Gauff raised the possibility of boycotting grand slams during interviews at the Italian Open, though Iga Swiatek and Emma Raducanu distanced themselves from strike talk.
Prize Money Increases
The French Open prize fund rose by 9.5% this year, with winners receiving €2.8 million, but players are unhappy the increase is modest relative to tournament revenues. While Roland Garros's income increased by 14% to €395 million last year, prize money rose only 5.4%, reducing players' share to 14.3%. Since the dispute became public last year, players have called on slams to match the 22% revenue share paid by the ATP and WTA tours.
Players are advised by former ATP player and ex-WTA chief executive Larry Scott, who will hold talks on Friday with French tennis federation president Gilles Moretton and tournament director Amélie Mauresmo. Meetings with Wimbledon and US Open representatives are expected later in the tournament.
Focus on Wimbledon
Wimbledon will soon be a focus, with the All England Club announcing prize money in June. While the prize fund will increase from last year's £53.5 million, it is unlikely to satisfy players who feel excluded from revenue growth. The club's income increased from £165 million in 2015 to over £420 million last year, while prize money doubled from £26.5 million to £53.5 million, a 20% drop in players' revenue share.
Players are particularly agitated about Wimbledon, as the All England Club plans to increase capacity by 10,000 spectators daily if expansion proceeds. Protests may occur during this summer's Championships.
