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 鈥� and the likes of Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini are prepared to protest, too.
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, a four-time Grand Slam champion, said on Tuesday at the Italian Open.
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� Sabalenka added on her 28th birthday.
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. 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.
The players claim their share of Roland Garros revenue has declined from 15.5% in 2024 to 14.9% projected in 2026.
Gauff, the , cited a landmark new reached in March as an example of the benefit of working together.
鈥淔rom the things I鈥檝e seen with other sports, usually to make massive progress and things like this, it takes a union,鈥� Gauff said. 鈥淲e have to become unionized in some way. … We definitely can move more as a collective.”
Regarding a boycott, Gauff said, 鈥淚f everyone were to move as one and collaborate, yeah, I can 100% see that.鈥� But she added she hasn’t heard of any discussions about a walkout.
鈥淚 definitely think there鈥檚 a consensus around that this needs to be addressed for all players of all levels, especially the lower-ranked players, too,鈥� Gauff added. “I want to leave the sport better than I found it. If I can say I played my part when I retire, that鈥檚 something I can be proud of.鈥�
Rybakina, a two-time Grand Slam champion who won the Australian Open this year, would follow the other players.
鈥淚f the majority say we are boycotting, we are not playing, then of course I鈥檓 up for it,鈥� Rybakina said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not only on the Grand Slams and it鈥檚 not only about raising the prize money. A lot of people are not aware that there is taxes which are big. You even make more prize money, but you giving it all to the taxes.鈥�
Paolini, the Italian who reached the final of the French Open and Wimbledon in 2024, also believed in a boycott 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,鈥� Paolini said, 鈥渢hat the WTA and I think the ATP are doing.鈥�
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%.
The French Open starts on May 24 and the singles champions 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.
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