A group of top-20 tennis players have collectively decided to limit their media commitments at the French Open, escalating a long-running dispute with Grand Slam organizers.
The players, led by world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, have been pushing for significant changes in prize money, player welfare, and consultation. They want the Slams to increase prize money to 22% of revenue by 2030, arguing the 15% offered by the French Open is inadequate.
This year's Roland Garros prize money increased by 9.5%, but the players point to the 20% hike at last year's US Open and nearly 16% at the Australian Open as benchmarks for fairer compensation.
Key demands include a higher prize-money-to-revenue ratio, better contributions to pension, healthcare, and maternity pots, and more direct input into decisions affecting player schedules and tournament conditions.
French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo expressed sadness over the protest but remained confident a resolution would be found. She and FFT president Gilles Moretton are set to meet with former WTA chairman Larry Scott, who represents the players, on Friday.
When asked about the possibility of boycotting future majors, Taylor Fritz did not rule it out, saying such threats should only be made if the players are fully prepared to follow through.