A group of top tennis players, including Jannik Sner, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Goff, have expressed concern over prize money at the French Open, saying they are “deeply disappointed” after talks with the organizers of the Grand Slam continue.The clay court tournament at Roland Garros is set to begin in Paris later this month. While organizers announced a nearly 10% increase in total prize money to 61.7 million euros ($72.1 million), players said significant issues remained unresolved. These include better representation as well as health and pension concerns.In a statement released Monday, the players pointed to a reduction in their share of tournament revenue.“Players’ share of Roland Garros tournament revenue has decreased from 15.5 percent in 2024 to 14.9 percent in 2026,” the group said.Under the current structure, singles winners will earn €2.8 million, while runners-up will receive €1.4 million. Semi-finalists will receive 750,000 euros, and first-round losers will receive 87,000 euros. Doubles winners will receive €600,000 and mixed doubles champions €122,000.Despite the increase in overall prize money, players said “the underlying data tells a very different story,” arguing that their share is shrinking relative to the value they help create.“According to tournament officials, Roland Garros will generate €395 million in revenue in 2025, an increase of 14 percent year-on-year, yet prize money only increased by 5.4 percent, reducing players’ share of revenue to 14.3 percent,” he said. “With revenue expected to exceed €400 million for this year’s tournament, prize money as a percentage of revenue is still likely to be less than 15%, far below the 22% that players have requested to bring to the Grand Slams according to the ATP and WTA combined 1000 events.“The organizers of the French Open have not yet reacted to the players’ latest statement.The same group previously wrote to the heads of four Grand Slam tournaments last year, asking for more prize money and more involvement in “decisions that directly affect us”.This statement is issued by a communications firm on behalf of the original signatories. He later clarified that Novak Djokovic was not among the signatories to the latest statement.The players said they were “united in their desire to see meaningful progress, both in terms of fair financial distribution and in terms of the governance of the game.” He also said that his proposals on welfare issues such as pensions and long-term health have received no response.“There has been no progress on fair and transparent representation of players in Grand Slam decision-making,” he added.“While other major international sports are modernizing governance, aligning stakeholders, and building long-term value, the Grand Slam is resistant to change,” he said. “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 success of the sport.”
