PARIS — Gamers on the French Open are planning to cut back media appearances forward of the beginning of the Grand Slam to complain about their share of the prize cash.
A bunch have already focused the upcoming clay-court match for lowering gamers’ share of income to an alleged 14.3 per cent — in comparison with 22 per cent at different ATP and WTA occasions.
Prime-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and No. 4 Coco Gauff have been amongst main gamers who threatened a boycott of the Slams earlier this month in the event that they don’t begin receiving extra compensation.
L’Equipe newspaper reported Wednesday that many gamers competing at Roland Garros, which begins Sunday, are planning to restrict their conversations with reporters to fifteen minutes throughout Friday’s conventional pre-tournament media day.
The French tennis federation (FFT), which organizes the French Open, stated in an announcement to The Related Press that it regrets the gamers’ initiative “which penalizes all stakeholders concerned within the match: the media, broadcasters, federation workers and your entire tennis neighborhood that enthusiastically follows every version of Roland Garros.”
Sabalenka and fellow No. 1 Jannik Sinner have been amongst main gamers — most of them ranked within the high 10 — who earlier this month issued an announcement expressing “deep disappointment” over French Open prize cash.
The gamers are additionally in search of higher illustration, well being choices and pensions from the 4 Grand Slam tournaments: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.
Roland Garros organizers introduced final month they have been rising total prize cash by about 10 per cent for an total pot of 61.7 million euros (US$72.1 million), with the whole quantity up 5.3 million euros from final 12 months. However the gamers stated “the underlying figures inform a really completely different story,” claiming they are going to obtain a smaller share of match revenues.
The FFT stated it’ll proceed to take care of an open dialogue, including that it proposed a gathering anticipated to happen Friday with the gamers and their representatives.
“The FFT is prepared for direct and constructive discussions on governance points, with the intention of giving gamers a larger function in decision-making, contributing to gamers’ social safety, and evolving the distribution of worth, and it put ahead a number of proposals on this path through the assembly,” it stated.
The gamers declare their share of Roland Garros income has declined from 15.5 per cent in 2024 to 14.9 per cent projected in 2026. They are saying the occasion generated 395 million euros in 2025, a 14 per cent year-on-year improve, but prize cash rose by simply 5.4 per cent, lowering gamers’ share of income to 14.3 per cent.
“With estimated revenues of over 400 million euros for this 12 months’s match, prize cash as a proportion of income will probably nonetheless be lower than 15 per cent, far wanting the 22 per cent that gamers have requested to deliver the Grand Slams into line with the ATP and WTA Mixed 1000 occasions,” the gamers stated.
The Australian Open this 12 months elevated the gamers’ compensation by 16 per cent, and the U.S. Open prize cash final 12 months went up by 20 per cent.
The singles champions at Roland Garros will every obtain 2.8 million euros, a rise of 250,000 euros in contrast with 2025.
“Past the prize cash, a Grand Slam match like Roland Garros affords gamers distinctive publicity, producing oblique revenue by sponsorships, partnerships, exhibitions and look charges,” the FFT stated.
“This 12 months the French Tennis Federation additionally selected to direct a good portion of those will increase towards gamers eradicated within the early rounds of the principle draw and qualifying rounds, with will increase of greater than 11 per cent, with a purpose to higher assist those that rely most on match earnings to finance their season.”
