Top-10 Players Press Grand Slams for 22% Prize-Money Share by 2030
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 27
Top-10 Players Press Grand Slams for 22% Prize-Money Share by 2030
9 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 27
Top-10 players including Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Jannik Sinner are pushing the four Grand Slams to raise prize money to about 22% of revenue by 2030, and cut pre-French Open media duties to 15 minutes in protest.
Lower-ranked players say the current system leaves little margin: Britain's Francesca Jones, ranked 105th, said players often do not break even unless they are inside the top 75.
Anna-Lena Friedsam estimated she needs about £300,000 a season just to break even, while players described skipping coaches, sharing rooms, flying economy and even sleeping in vans to keep costs down.
Grand Slams currently devote around 15% of revenue to prize money and argue they also fund elite facilities, but further talks with player representatives are due in Paris next week.
The dispute extends a broader fight over tennis pay after the PTPA launched legal action last year accusing governing bodies of suppressing prize money compared with other sports.
Can tennis players unite for a boycott if the lowest-ranked need the prize money to survive?
As tennis stars threaten a boycott, where does the other 85% of Grand Slam revenue actually go?
Breaking Point in Tennis: Players Target 22% Grand Slam Revenue Share by 2030
Overview
Professional tennis is facing a major standoff as players, led by the PTPA, demand a 22% share of Grand Slam revenues by 2030. The PTPA has filed an antitrust lawsuit, calling the ATP, WTA, and Grand Slams a cartel that unfairly limits player earnings. While the Australian Open settled with the players, the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open are fighting the lawsuit. Currently, players receive far less than their target, with the US Open giving just over 12% of its revenue to players in 2023. This dispute highlights the growing tension over fair compensation and the future direction of the sport.