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Top tennis players, including Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, are disappointed with the prize money at Roland Garros, despite a 9.5% increase to âŹ61.7m. They argue for a larger share of revenues from grand slam tournaments.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are part of the group of players pushing for reforms (Getty)
The worldâs top tennis players have expressed their âdeep and collective disappointmentâ at the prize money on offer at this yearâs Roland Garros.
While French Open organisers have announced an increase of 9.5 per cent in total prize money for this yearâs tournament, rising to an overall pot of âŹ61.7m (ÂŁ53.7m), several leading players from the menâs and womenâs top 10 continue to be frustrated.
The group of star players, including Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, have long argued that they should receive a greater percentage of the revenues generated by the four grand slam tournaments and were similarly disappointment by the prize money at this yearâs Australian Open.
According to the group, their share of the overall revenue generated by Roland Garros is projected to decline to 14.3 per cent this year. In recent years, the players have pushed for that figure to be closer to the 22 per cent received at mixed events on the ATP and WTA Tours with equal prize money, such as Indian Wells and this monthâs Italian Open.
Top tennis players are concerned that the prize money offered at grand slam tournaments is insufficient and do not reflect the revenues generated by these events.
The total prize money for Roland Garros this year is âŹ61.7 million, which is a 9.5% increase from the previous year.
Players leading the push for prize money reforms include Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff.
The players expressed disappointment with the prize money at the Australian Open, similar to their feelings about the prize money at Roland Garros.
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In response, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) said a decision had been made to focus prize money increases on âplayers who exit the tournament in the early rounds of the main draw and the qualifying stagesâ. Figures released by Roland Garros reveal an increase of around 11 per cent for the first three rounds of the main draw, compared to a 9.8 per cent increase for the singles champions.
A statement from the players said: âAs Roland Garros looks to post record revenues, players are therefore receiving a declining share of the value they help create. More critically, the announcement does nothing to address the structural issues that players have consistently and reasonably raised over the past year. There has been no engagement on player welfare and no progress towards establishing a formal mechanism for player consultation within grand slam decision making.
âWhile 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 sportâs success.
âThe players who were signatories to the initial campaign remain united in their desire to see meaningful progress, both in terms of fair financial distribution and in how the sport is governed. They will continue to advocate for constructive dialogue and for reforms that ensure the long-term health and integrity of professional tennis.â
The players initially outlined their proposals in letters to the four grand slams in March last year, detailing their desire for the major tournament to start contributing to a player welfare fund, supporting pensions, healthcare and maternity leave, and for more consultation with tournaments around matters such as scheduling.
Last season, Sinner, Sabalenka and Gauff were among the players to meet with the grand slams at Roland Garros but there was further frustration last autumn when further discussions were delayed. Ben Shelton, the world No 6 and top-ranked American man, told The Independent that players are âat the bottomâ when prize money as a percentage of revenue was compared to other sports.
The FFT said the increase of prize money at this yearâs French Open âreflects a sustained commitment to increasing player compensation over timeâ.
French Open champion Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka are part of the group of leading players (Getty)
It added: âBeyond prize money, the Roland-Garros model is based on a specific economic framework. The FFT is a non-profit organization. All revenues generated by the tournament are reinvested into the Roland-Garros tournament, as well as the development of tennis in France and internationally.
âThis includes direct support for the development of the sport at grassroot level, training and pathway programs, strong commitment to womenâs tennis, inclusive tennis and wheelchair tennis, as well as significant contributions to international tennis development through the ITF.
âThe FFT has also recently invested more than âŹ400m in the Roland-Garros infrastructure, notably to significantly enhance player conditions and on-site services.
âFinally, the FFT 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.â