A growing dispute over prize money at the French Open has escalated, with top tennis stars including Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka voicing strong opposition to the tournament’s latest payout adjustments. The conflict highlights ongoing tensions between players and Grand Slam organizers over revenue sharing and structural reforms.
Last year, leading players across both the ATP and WTA tours jointly demanded fairer financial terms from the four Grand Slam events. They called for a 22 percent share of tournament revenue, along with increased investment in player welfare programs. However, as the 2026 French Open approaches, many feel these demands have not been adequately addressed.
On Monday, a group of players issued a unified statement criticizing the tournament’s latest prize money increase of 9.5 percent, announced on April 16. They described the raise as “far short of expectations,” especially given the tournament’s financial growth. According to the players, the French Open generated $463 million in revenue last year, a 14 percent increase from the previous year. Yet the total prize pool rose only 5.4 percent, reducing the players’ share of revenue to 14.3 percent. Projections for this year’s tournament suggest revenue could exceed $469 million, but the players’ share is still expected to remain below 15 percent.
The statement also called attention to deeper structural issues within the sport. “This prize money adjustment does nothing to address the structural problems that players have been raising for the past year,” the statement read. “There has been no dialogue with players about welfare improvements, nor has there been any progress toward establishing a regular consultation mechanism for players in Grand Slam decision-making.”
The players further accused the Grand Slam boards of resisting meaningful change. “The four Grand Slams remain entrenched in tradition and resistant to reform. The lack of player representation in decision-making and chronic underinvestment in player welfare show that the current system fails to protect the rights of the sport’s core participants.”
Last year’s initial letter of protest, which was not publicly signed but revealed by multiple media outlets, reportedly included signatures from 10 of the top 11 women’s singles players. On the men’s side, top names such as Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and Carlos Alcaraz were among the signatories. However, reports indicate that Djokovic did not sign a second letter circulated this summer, and his spokesperson confirmed he also declined to sign the latest players’ statement.
Players have consistently called for open dialogue with tournament organizers. Iga Swiatek, speaking during last year’s WTA Finals, said: “If the Grand Slams would be willing to talk to players, that would be ideal. It should be a normal part of the sport. I really don’t understand why there hasn’t been more open communication.”
While total prize money across the four Grand Slams continues to rise, the distribution debate remains unresolved. The Australian Open led the way with a 16 percent increase to a $75 million total prize pool, followed by the US Open’s record 21 percent hike to $85 million. Wimbledon’s 2025 total stood at $72.6 million, a 7 percent increase from the previous year.
In comparison, the 2026 French Open has increased qualifying prize money by nearly 13 percent,
