French Open puts rival tennis slams under pressure after €62m prize money decision

Grand Slam tennis is in the middle of a storm regarding the prize money it pays its players.

Players are looking for increased prize money across the board and, crucially, a different mechanism through which Wimbledon, the French Open, US Open and Australian Open distribute it.

In 2026, a number of high-profile players have threatened to boycott slams if their demands are not met.

Recently-crowned Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner and fellow world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka are among those who have mooted collective action in order to resolve the dispute.

The mixed doubles events at the US Open beginning in August is a potential target for a boycott; that would represent the most significant move in the saga yet, given the commercial importance of that event for the United States Tennis Association.

At Wimbledon, the LTA agreed to increase prize money, though not in the way that the protesting players want. The purse rose from £53.5m to £64.2m for the 2026 edition, but Sinner, Sabalenka et al want a distribution mechanism which ties prize money to a percentage of revenue.

And with the slams under pressure, the French Open could become the first to relent.

French Open bows to player pressure over revenue sharing

As reported by The Guardian’s Matt Hughes, Roland Garros executives have submitted a proposal to player representative Larry Scott that broadly matches the kind of mechanism the players want.

Besides the fact the revenue sharing agreement will include pension commitments and healthcare, specifics of the offer were not relayed. It is said only that the offer would fix prize money as a percentage of tournament revenue.

Last time around, the French Open’s prize money was €62m. Players want the slams to commit at least 16 per cent of revenue to prize money, increasing to at least 22 per cent by 2030.

The pitch was made behind the scenes during Wimbledon, and it will put the other three slams under major pressure to adopt a similar strategy in the face of the would-be boycott.

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