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Tennis prima Aryna Sabalenka said she believes that players should shape a boycott of Grand Slam tournaments if they don’t commencement getting a bigger stock of tourney revenues.
Sabalenka, who is nan No. 1 classed women’s subordinate successful nan world, and men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner were among a group of highly classed players who released a connection astir nan French Open's prize money.
"Without america location wouldn’t beryllium a tourney and location wouldn’t beryllium that entertainment. I consciousness for illustration decidedly we merit to beryllium paid much percentage," Sabalenka said connected Tuesday astatine nan Italian Open.
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Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts during her Women's Singles Round of 32 lucifer against Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia astatine nan 2025 Wuhan Open successful Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, connected Oct. 8, 2025. (Wuhan Open Official 2025/VCG via Getty Images)
"I deliberation astatine immoderate constituent we will boycott it. I consciousness for illustration that’s going to beryllium nan only measurement to conflict for our rights."
The players are besides seeking amended representation, wellness options and pensions from nan 4 Grand Slam tournaments: nan Australian Open, nan French Open, Wimbledon and nan U.S. Open.
The wide prize money for nan French Open did summation this year, pinch a 10% summation for an wide cookware of 61.7 cardinal euros ($72.1 million), pinch nan full magnitude up 5.3 cardinal euros from past year. While nan cookware increased, nan players declare they are seeing little of nan tourney revenues than past year.
The players declare their stock of Roland Garros gross has declined from 15.5% successful 2024 to a projected 14.9% successful 2026, and successful their connection said nan underlying figures show a different story.
The players' connection said Roland Garros generated 395 cardinal euros successful gross successful 2025, a 14% year-on-year increase, yet prize money roseate by conscionable 5.4%, reducing players’ stock of gross to 14.3%.
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Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts against Amanda Anisimova of nan United States during nan women's finals of nan U.S. Open tennis championships successful New York connected Sept. 6, 2025. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)
"With estimated revenues of complete 400 cardinal euros for this year’s tournament, prize money arsenic a percent of gross will apt still beryllium little than 15%, acold short of nan 22% that players person requested to bring nan Grand Slams into statement pinch nan ATP and WTA Combined 1000 events," nan players said.
The Australian Open this twelvemonth accrued players’ compensation by 16%, and the U.S. Open prize money past twelvemonth went up by 20%.
Defending French Open champion Coco Gauff cited nan WNBA’s caller corporate bargaining statement arsenic inspiration.
"From nan things I’ve seen pinch different sports, usually to make monolithic advancement and things for illustration this, it takes a union," Gauff said. "We person to go unionized successful immoderate way."
"We decidedly tin move much arsenic a collective."
AMERICAN TENNIS STAR COCO GAUFF SAYS SHE RECEIVED RACIST MESSAGES FROM GAMBLERS AFTER MADRID OPEN EXIT
Coco Gauff of nan United States reacts during nan women's singles fourth-round lucifer against Linda Noskova of Czechia astatine nan Mutua Madrid Open connected April 27, 2026, successful Madrid, Spain. (Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Gauff said she hasn’t heard immoderate discussions of a walkout, but said she could "100%" spot 1 happening if "everyone were to move arsenic one."
"I decidedly deliberation there’s a statement astir that this needs to beryllium addressed for each players of each levels, particularly nan lower-ranked players, too," Gauff added. "I want to time off nan athletics amended than I recovered it. If I tin opportunity I played my portion erstwhile I retire, that’s thing I tin beryllium proud of."
Jasmine Paolini, nan Italian who reached nan last of nan French Open and Wimbledon successful 2024, said nan WTA and ATP Tours do much than nan Grand Slams to supply players pinch benefits, specified arsenic maternity time off and status plans.
"There’s a batch of things that nan Slams are not doing," Paolini said, "that nan WTA and I deliberation nan ATP are doing."
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Jasmine Paolini of Italy reacts while playing against Hailey Baptiste of nan U.S. during nan Madrid Open tennis tourney successful Madrid connected April 25, 2026. (Pablo Garcia/AP Photo)
She besides said a boycott is an option.
"If we’re each successful statement and I deliberation we are — nan men and nan women are agreed correct now — it’s thing we could do," Paolini said.
The French Open starts connected May 24, and nan singles champions will each person 2.8 cardinal euros, and nan runners-up 1.4 cardinal euros. Semifinalists gain 750,000 euros and first-round losers get 87,000 euros.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Ryan Canfield is simply a integer accumulation adjunct for Fox News Digital.
