A distinguished group of 20 tennis stars, including Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff, have united in a powerful plea to the leaders of the four Grand Slam events, urging for increased prize money and enhanced involvement in decisions that they argue significantly affect their careers.
This impactful letter, which was disclosed to The Associated Press on Thursday, is dated March 21. It initiates a request for a face-to-face discussion at this month’s Madrid Open between player representatives and the directors of the four Grand Slam tournaments: Craig Tiley from the Australian Open, Stephane Morel representing the French Open, Sally Bolton from Wimbledon, and Lew Sherr of the U.S. Open.
The letter features the genuine signatures of 10 of the top 11 women in the rankings as of March 3, with Elena Rybakina notably absent, alongside the complete roster of the top 10 men during the same week.
The women’s signatories include top-ranked Sabalenka, along with Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Jasmine Paolini, Emma Navarro, Zheng Qinwen, Paula Badosa, and Mirra Andreeva. The men’s side is represented by No. 1-ranked Sinner—who is currently under a three-month doping suspension—24-time major winner Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Alex de Minaur.
Among these 20 athletes, 15 have either clinched a Grand Slam title or reached a major final.
The players outlined three main focal points in their correspondence:
— Grand Slam events should contribute financially to player welfare initiatives that are funded by both professional tours.
— An increase in prize money is essential to align with a fairer percentage of tournament revenues that reflects the players’ contributions to the events’ success.
— Athletes must have a stronger voice in critical decisions regarding competition, as well as the overall health and welfare of players.
The revelation of this letter—first highlighted by French sports newspaper L’Equipe—comes just weeks after the players’ association co-founded by Djokovic lodged an antitrust lawsuit against both the men’s and women’s professional tours, the International Tennis Federation, and the sport’s integrity body in a New York federal court. While Djokovic chose not to be a plaintiff, he voiced his desire for other players to take the lead.
This legal action aims to secure a larger share of revenue for players, asserting that a disproportionately small amount reaches the athletes. It also brings to light various concerns regarding the sport’s administration.
The antitrust complaint previously referenced a striking report indicating that the U.S. Open garnered more revenue from a single specialty cocktail ($12.8 million) than the total prize money awarded to both the men’s and women’s champions.
In 2024, the U.S. Tennis Association announced a historic total compensation package of $75 million for its Grand Slam tournament, encompassing prize money and supplemental payments for players’ expenses. This marks a 15% increase from the $65 million awarded in 2023.
In comparison, Wimbledon offered approximately $64 million in prize money last year, while both the French Open and Australian Open allocated about $58 million each.
“The USTA is always open to and encourages transparent dialogues with players, whether during the U.S. Open or throughout the year, as we continuously seek innovative ways to enhance the event for the benefit of players and fans alike,” stated USTA spokesperson Brendan McIntyre.
“We take immense pride in the U.S. Open’s pioneering role in player compensation and our commitment to the advancement of professional tennis, both nationally and globally,” he added. “This commitment includes providing equal prize money for men and women for over 50 years and presenting the largest purse in tennis history at the upcoming 2024 U.S. Open.”
The next Grand Slam event on the horizon is the French Open, with competitive matches set to commence in Paris on May 25.
