World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka Advocates for Grand Slam Boycott Over Revenue Disparities
World No.1 tennis player Aryna Sabalenka has called for a potential boycott of Grand Slam tournaments if players do not receive a larger share of the revenues. Sabalenka, alongside other top-ranked players including Jannik Sinner, expressed “deep disappointment” concerning the prize money for the French Open in a statement released on Monday.
“I think at some point we will boycott [Slams]” if players do not receive a better revenue share, Sabalenka stated during a media conference in Rome. “Definitely, when you see the number, and you see the amount the players are receiving… I feel like the show is on us. Without us, there wouldn’t be a tournament, and there wouldn’t be that entertainment. We definitely deserve to be paid a higher percentage.”
Sabalenka added her hopes that ongoing negotiations would lead to a resolution satisfactory to all parties involved.
Top Players Criticize Roland Garros Prize Money
Multiple leading players, including Sinner, Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and Daniil Medvedev, signed a letter denouncing the prize money for the French Open. Last month, French Open organizers announced a total prize money increase of approximately 10% to €61.7 million ($72.1 million), a rise of €5.3 million from the previous year.
However, the players contended that “the underlying figures tell a very different story,” asserting that their share of the tournament’s revenues has actually decreased. According to their statement, the players’ share of Roland Garros revenue has fallen from 15.5% in 2024 to a projected 14.9% in 2026.
Iga Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, stressed the necessity for improved dialogue, underscoring the importance of effective communication with governing bodies to facilitate discussion and negotiation opportunities. She noted that while she hopes meetings can take place before the tournament, a boycott would be an extreme measure.
French Open organizers had not responded to requests for comment regarding the players’ statement at the time of publication.
