Players holding media protest at French Open over Grand Slam prize money
Awful Announcing • • sports
Key Points:
- Top professional tennis players, including Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff, are staging media protests at the 2026 French Open to demand a fairer share of Grand Slam prize money and better player benefits.
- Players plan to walk out of pre-tournament press conferences after 15 minutes and refuse interviews with French Open media and primary rights holders, while still conducting post-match flash interviews to avoid fines.
- The 15-minute protest references the approximate 15% of tournament revenue currently allocated to prize money, with players pushing for an increase to 22%, aligning with joint ATP and WTA events.
- The French Tennis Federation (FFT) expressed regret over the protests but is open to dialogue, scheduling a meeting with player representatives to discuss governance, player welfare, and value-sharing models.
- Despite recent prize money increases at the French Open and other Grand Slams, players argue these rises still fall short of their 22% revenue share goal, prompting ongoing negotiations with tournament officials.