A coalition of the world's leading tennis players, including Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff, has released a joint statement expressing profound dissatisfaction with the prize money allocated for this year's French Open. The group, comprising top 20 male and female players, argues that the tournament's financial rewards do not reflect the surging revenues generated by the event.
Dispute Over Revenue Sharing
The players have been locked in a dispute with all four Grand Slam tournaments for over a year. They contend that they receive an insufficient portion of each tournament's growing income. Additionally, they are demanding enhanced welfare and pension provisions, as well as a greater voice in shaping the tennis calendar. The French Open recently announced a 9.5% increase in prize money, bringing the total purse to €61.7 million (£52.6 million), with singles champions earning €2.8 million each. However, the players deem this inadequate.
According to the players' statement, the increase pales in comparison to the 20% rise implemented by the US Open last year. They further claim that, as a percentage of tournament revenues, the prize fund is actually shrinking. "Roland Garros generated €395 million in revenue in 2025, a 14% year-on-year increase, yet prize money rose by only 5.4%, reducing players' share of revenue to 14.3%," the statement read. "With estimated revenues of more than €400 million for this year's tournament, prize money as a percentage of revenue will likely still be less than 15%, far short of the 22% that players have requested to bring the Grand Slams into line with the ATP and WTA tours."
Calls for Structural Reform
The players emphasized that the prize money announcement fails to address deeper structural issues. "There has been no engagement on player welfare and no progress towards establishing a formal mechanism for player consultation within Grand Slam decision-making," the statement continued. "The Grand Slams remain resistant to change. The absence of player consultation and the continued lack of investment in player welfare reflect a system that does not adequately represent the interests of those who are central to the sport's success."
Several players, including Americans Ben Shelton and Jessica Pegula, are expected to amplify these criticisms at the Italian Open, which commences in Rome this week. The joint statement marks a significant escalation in the ongoing tension between elite players and tennis's premier events.
