ROME (AP) 鈥� Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka believes tennis players should organize a boycott if they don鈥檛 start receiving a bigger share of at the .
Sabalenka and fellow No. 1 Jannik Sinner were among leading players 鈥� most of them ranked in the top 10 鈥� who issued a statement on Monday expressing 鈥渄eep disappointment鈥� over the .
鈥淲ithout us there wouldn鈥檛 be a tournament and there wouldn鈥檛 be that entertainment. I feel like definitely we deserve to be paid more percentage,鈥� Sabalenka said on Tuesday at the Italian Open as she celebrated her 28th birthday.
鈥淚 think at some point we will boycott it. I feel like that鈥檚 going to be the only way to fight for our rights.鈥�
The players are also seeking better representation, health options and pensions from the four Grand Slam tournaments: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.
French Open organizers announced last month they were increasing overall prize money by about 10% for an overall pot of 61.7 million euros ($72.1 million), with the total amount up 5.3 million euros from last year.
Men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 singles champions in Paris will each receive 2.8 million euros and the runners-up 1.4 million euros. Semifinalists earn 750,000 euros and first round losers get 87,000 euros.
But the players鈥� statement said 鈥渢he underlying figures tell a very different story,鈥� claiming they will receive a smaller share of tournament revenues.
鈥淧layers鈥� share of Roland Garros tournament revenue has declined from 15.5% in 2024 to 14.9% projected in 2026,鈥� the players said.
Iga Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, said 鈥渢he most important thing is to have proper communication and discussions with the governing bodies so we have some space to talk and maybe negotiate.
鈥淗opefully before Roland Garros there鈥檚 going to be opportunity to have these type of meetings and we鈥檒l see how they go,鈥� Swiatek added. 鈥淏ut boycotting the tournament, it鈥檚 a bit extreme kind of situation.鈥�
The players statement said Roland Garros generated 395 million euros in revenue in 2025, a 14% year-on-year increase, yet prize money rose by just 5.4%, reducing players鈥� share of revenue to 14.3%.
鈥淲ith estimated revenues of over 400 million euros for this year鈥檚 tournament, prize money as a percentage of revenue will likely still be less than 15%, far short of the 22% that players have requested to bring the Grand Slams into line with the ATP and WTA Combined 1000 events,鈥� the players said.
French Open organizers did not respond to a request for comment after the players issued their statement.
The this year increased the players鈥� compensation by 16%, and the prize money last year went up by 20%.
Jasmine Paolini, the Italian who reached the final of the French Open and Wimbledon in 2024, also suggested a boycott could be an option.
鈥淚f we鈥檙e all in agreement and I think we are 鈥� the men and the women are united right now 鈥� it鈥檚 something we could do,鈥� Paolini said.
Paolini added that the WTA and ATP Tours 鈥� which organize all of the other tournaments 鈥� have done more than the Grand Slams to provide players with benefits, such as maternity leave, and retirement plans.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of things that the Slams are not doing,” Paolini said, 鈥渢hat the WTA and I think the ATP are doing.鈥�
The French Open starts on May 24.
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