Tennis Players to Stage Media Protest at Roland Garros Amid Prize Money Dispute

At the Italian Open, stars like Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff sparked controversy by hinting at a boycott of one of tennis’ four majors. Their demand is clear: prize money should rise by 22%, even as the 2026 French Open offers a 9.5% increase from last year. With no resolution in sight, the players are now signaling that the second Slam of the year could see the first bold strike.

At Roland Garros, which is set to begin on Sunday, May 24, players are planning a coordinated action during pre-tournament press conferences. According to a source familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity, players will leave news conferences after just 15 minutes.

The boycott extends to refusing interviews with French Open media and the tournament’s main rights holders, TNT Sports and Eurosport.

Players have reviewed the tournament rulebook and determined that they will not face fines as long as they fulfill contractual obligations to conduct brief post-match flash interviews with rights holders. They intend to only perform these mandatory flash interviews after matches, avoiding extended media obligations, as reported by The Guardian.

The 15-minute limit is symbolic, reflecting the fact that Grand Slams typically allocate only about 15% of revenues to prize money, according to the same source. The French Open’s 2026 prize pool has already been raised to $72.3 million, which aligns with roughly 15% of its projected revenue.

By contrast, the other three majors have increased their prize money in recent editions. The AO raised its pool by 16% to $75 million. The US Open’s prize money surged by 21%, reaching a record $85 million. Wimbledon increased its pool to $72.6 million in 2025, a 7% rise from 2024.

However, none of these increases reach the 22% revenue share that the players are advocating for.

The media protest marks the latest move by the group to pressure the four Grand Slams, following two letters sent to the majors last year. These letters were signed by some of the biggest names on the WTA and ATP Tours, including Iga Świątek, Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Jannik Sinner.

Beyond prize money increases, the group is advocating for enhanced player welfare and greater consultation and representation in Grand Slam decision-making. Part of their push includes the formation of a Grand Slam Player Council to ensure players have a stronger voice.

As the possibility of a boycott grows, tensions are escalating ahead of the tournament. The players’ demands highlight the ongoing debate over fair distribution of revenues in men’s and women’s tennis.

The French Tennis Federation expresses concern over rumored media protest plans

Regarding the media protest, a French Tennis Federation (FFT) spokesperson commented via text message Wednesday: “We regret the players’ decision, which impacts all of the tournament’s stakeholders: the media, broadcasters, the FFT and the entire tennis community, all of whom follow each edition of Roland-Garros with great enthusiasm.”

The spokesperson also emphasized the FFT’s willingness to maintain close ties with the players, noting, “The FFT recognises the importance of the players’ contribution to the tournament’s success, and wishes to maintain close ties with them. In early May, it proposed a meeting that will take place on Friday, 22 May with some of their representatives.”

Further, the FFT made clear that it is prepared to engage in constructive dialogue on governance, focusing on giving players a greater role in decision-making, improving player welfare, and evolving the value-sharing model.

These discussions are scheduled to involve the FFT president, Gilles Moretton, and French Open tournament director, Amélie Mauresmo.

Larry Scott, a former ATP player and ex-WTA chief executive, who is advising the players’ group, is expected to attend the talks in Paris, according to a source familiar with the plans.

Additional meetings with Wimbledon and US Open representatives are anticipated later during the tournament. Spokespeople for both Wimbledon and the US Open have not immediately responded to requests for comment.

As the debate over prize money and governance intensifies, the tennis world will be watching closely in the coming days to see what steps the players and the FFT will take, as the situation could set a precedent for player relations with the Grand Slams.

Trending Articles

The post Tennis Players to Stage Media Protest at Roland Garros Amid Prize Money Dispute appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.