Aryna Sabalenka, currently ranked number one in the world, has taken a lead role in calling for a boycott of the Grand Slam tournaments.
The push for a possible strike comes out of ongoing disagreements about how much players are paid. Many top men’s and women’s players are looking for a bigger slice of the money made from the majors.
There haven’t been any announcements yet from players choosing to skip Roland Garros, which gets underway on Sunday.
Players have started to share their views, with some open to the idea of a boycott and others less convinced.
Emma Raducanu has now weighed in ahead of what will be her third appearance at Roland Garros. The 21-year-old was asked if she would support a player strike at this point.
Emma Raducanu shares her thoughts on Grand Slam boycott talks
Emma Raducanu addressed the issue during her pre-tournament press conference, joking: “I mean, why wouldn’t I wanna be talking to you guys for more than 15 minutes? I don’t understand! [laughs].
“For me, it’s part of what we do. I understand, of course, the position of the players compared to the other sports; the percentage is lower.
“But I’ve just been focused on trying to get myself back at a level, operating well, and for me, it’s also playing a Grand Slam isn’t necessarily just about, you know, the money.
“I think it’s a lot more about the prestige. It’s a lot about the history and that’s what I value most. So yeah, I’m just grateful to be at another Slam.”
Raducanu talks about her Roland Garros opponent
Emma Raducanu will face Solana Sierra in the first round of Roland Garros, a player she has never played before on the WTA Tour.
Speaking about her opponent, Raducanu said: “She’s a great player, had a good run last year at Wimbledon too. It’s gonna be a really tricky first round, especially coming in light on matches.
“I’m just proud of how I’m approaching every day. I’m proud of the work I’m putting in and I know I’m going to have to play really good tennis and be aggressive.
“I feel like the conditions are pretty lively so far. In the practice days, as the weather is hot, but I think that could be a good thing and yeah, I want to just go out there and try and play on my terms as much as I can.”
Raducanu hasn’t yet progressed beyond the second round at Roland Garros.
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