World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has said tennis players may have to consider a boycott if they do not receive a larger share of Grand Slam revenues, with top stars including Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini also reportedly ready to support protest action.
Sabalenka and men’s No. 1 Jannik Sinner were among a group of leading players, most ranked inside the top 10, who issued a statement on Monday expressing “deep disappointment” over prize money distribution at the French Open.
Speaking at the Italian Open on Tuesday, Sabalenka said players believe their role is central to the sport’s value and that compensation should reflect that.
“Without us, there wouldn’t be a tournament and there wouldn’t be that entertainment. I feel like we definitely deserve to be paid a higher percentage,” said Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion.
She added that collective action may eventually be unavoidable.
“At some point, we will boycott it. I feel like that’s going to be the only way to fight for our rights,” she said on her 28th birthday.
Alongside pay concerns, players are also pushing for improved representation, as well as better health benefits and pension structures from the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
French Open organizers announced last month they were increasing overall prize money by about 10% to 61.7 million euros ($72.1 million), with the total up 5.3 million euros from last year. However, the players’ statement said “the underlying figures tell a very different story,” claiming they will receive a smaller share of tournament revenues.
The players said their share of Roland Garros revenue has declined from 15.5% in 2024 to a projected 14.9% in 2026.
Gauff, the defending French Open champion, pointed to a landmark new WNBA collective bargaining agreement reached in March as an example of the benefits of collective action.
“From the things I’ve seen with other sports, usually to make massive progress like this, it takes a union,” Gauff said. “We have to become unionized in some way. We definitely can move more as a collective.”
Regarding a boycott, Gauff said, “If everyone were to move as one and collaborate, yeah, I can 100% see that.” But she added she has not heard of any discussions about a walkout.
“I definitely think there’s a consensus that this needs to be addressed for all players of all levels, especially the lower-ranked players, too,” Gauff said. “I want to leave the sport better than I found it. If I can say I played my part when I retire, that’s something I can be proud of.”
Rybakina, a two-time Grand Slam champion who won the Australian Open this year, said she would support any unified action.
“If the majority say we are boycotting, we are not playing, then of course I’m up for it,” Rybakina said. “It’s not only on the Grand Slams, and it’s not only about raising the prize money. A lot of people are not aware that there are taxes, which are big. You can even make more prize money, but you give it all to taxes.”
Paolini, the Italian who reached the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon in 2024, also said she could support a boycott if there is agreement among players.
“If we’re all in agreement, and I think we are, the men and the women are united right now, it’s something we could do,” Paolini said.
She added that the WTA and ATP Tours, which organize most other tournaments, have done more than the Grand Slams in providing player benefits such as maternity leave and retirement plans.
“There are a lot of things that the Slams are not doing that the WTA and I think the ATP are doing,” Paolini said.
Iga Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, said the focus should remain on dialogue.
“The most important thing is to have proper communication and discussions with the governing bodies so we have space to talk and maybe negotiate,” Swiatek said.
“Hopefully before Roland Garros there’s going to be an opportunity to have these types of meetings and we’ll see how they go,” she added. “But boycotting the tournament is a bit of an extreme situation.”
The players’ statement said Roland Garros generated 395 million euros in revenue in 2025, a 14% year-on-year increase, while prize money rose by just 5.4%, reducing players’ share of revenue to 14.3%.
“With estimated revenues of more than 400 million euros for this year’s 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 ATP and WTA combined 1000 events,” the statement said.
French Open organizers did not respond to a request for comment.
The Australian Open increased player compensation by 16% this year, while US Open prize money rose by 20% last year.
The French Open begins May 24, with singles champions each set to receive 2.8 million euros and runners-up 1.4 million euros. Semifinalists will earn 750,000 euros, while first-round losers will receive 87,000 euros.
