Tennis stars could boycott Grand Slams in prize money dispute, Aryna Sabalenka says

ROME — Aryna Sabalenka, the women’s tennis world No. 1, thinks that stars will eventually boycott Grand Slams due to disputes over prize money and player representation.

Over the weekend, a group of leading ATP and WTA players that has been pressuring the Slams for more than a year expressed “collective disappointment” at this year’s French Open prize money, because of the overall share of the tournament’s revenue it represents.

During a news conference Tuesday ahead of the Italian Open, Sabalenka said “at some point we will boycott” the four biggest tournaments in the sport.

“I feel like that’s going to be the only way to kind of, like, fight for our rights,” the 28-year-old Belarusian said.

“Let’s see how far we can get. If it’s going to take players for boycott. I feel like nowadays, we girls can easily get together and go for this because some of the things I feel like it’s really unfair to the players. I think at some point it’s going to get to this.”

The organizers of Wimbledon and the Australian, French and U.S. Opens were not immediately available for comment on Sabalenka’s statement.

The French Open’s 2026 prize pool is up by 9.5 percent from 2025, to a total of €61.7 million ($72.3 million). This will come in at 15 percent of the French Open’s projected revenue, according to the group’s estimates. That’s a proportion the players deem to be well below what they want from the four majors.

Joint ATP and WTA Tour events award 22 percent of revenue to the players, while many U.S. team sports set an even higher mark, with players in the NFL, NBA and MLB receiving close to 50 percent of league revenues.

“As Roland Garros looks to post record revenues, players are therefore receiving a declining share of the value they help create,” a statement circulated by the player group said. It was attributed to the 20 signatories of an initial letter sent to the four majors in March 2025, including Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff.

“While other major international sports are modernising governance, aligning stakeholders, and building long-term value, the Grand Slams remain resistant to change. The absence of player consultation and the continued lack of investment in player welfare reflect a system that does not adequately represent the interests of those who are central to the sport’s success.”

In a statement sent to  following the players’ latest communication, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) said it “remains fully committed to ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders in global tennis, including speaking directly with individual players. It will continue working to improve overall player conditions, in line with its responsibilities and its model.”