Ahead of competing at the Italian Open at the start of May, world number one and four-time Grand Slam champion, Aryna Sabalenka, made the claim that leading players in tennis could hold a Grand Slam boycott.
Her remarks follow a sense of frustration and disappointment with the news that Roland Garros, the second Grand Slam of the year, would only be increasing its prize pot by 9.5% from the 2025 competition.
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Grand Slam Prize Money (2022-2026)
| Grand Slam | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | $51.82m (AUD$74.00m) | $54.43m (AUD$76.50m) | $56.95m (AUD$86.50m) | $59.93m (AUD$96.50m) | $78.64m (AUD$111.50m) |
| Roland Garros | $47.74m (€43.60m) | $53.32m (€49.60m) | $57.79m (€53.50m) | $65.54m (€56.35m) | $72.47m (€61.72m) |
| Wimbledon Championships | $48.52m (£40.35m) | $58.53m (£44.70m) | $63.07m (£50m) | $71.40m (£53.5m) | Not yet announced |
| US Open | $60.01m | $65.00m | $75.00m | $90.00m | Not yet announced |
On paper, Grand Slam prize money in tennis has seen significant increases since 2022, with the most recently announced prize pools averaging a 43.97% rise, or $24.28 million in total funds. Despite recent signs of progress—such as the US Open (2025) and Australian Open (2026) boosting their prize money by 20% and 16%, respectively—the smaller increase announced for the Paris-based slam has further angered players.
Sabalenka’s boycott threats highlight the seriousness of players’ grievances in recent years. In early 2025, the top 20 players from the men’s and women’s tours wrote to the four slams, calling for a greater distribution of funds at their tournaments.
Players’ primary concern is the share of prize money relative to tournament revenue, as well as how it compares with revenue splits in other leading sports. In 2026, players believe their fair share should be 22%. Roland Garros is reported to have generated €395 million in revenue in 2025.
Based on its announced 2026 prize money, this would put the players’ share at 15.63%. In monetary terms, the gap between player expectations and the prize fund reality at the French slam is $25.18 million.
With leading players publicly calling for a greater revenue share for more than 12 months, Sabalenka’s mention of a “boycott” should be an alarm bell for organizers of the four slams. Players are considering action because they feel misrepresented. Any loss of top players would significantly harm the slams’ revenue.
These are the four biggest tournaments on the tennis calendar for a reason, and fans expect to see the best players competing for the titles. Names such as Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz, with their millions of fans worldwide, drive spectator engagement. The grounds, atmosphere, and occasion matter, but the players are at the heart of the entertainment and the prestige of the four Grand Slams.
Top 100 Earnings WTA Tour players in 2025
| 2025 Ranking (Prize Money Leaders) | Total Prize Money | % of Yearly Earnings from Grand Slams |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Aryna Sabalenka | $15,008,519 | 59.49% |
| Rest of Top 10 Average | $6,254,993 | 43.06% |
| 11-50 Average | $830,769 | 50.06% |
| 51-75 Average | $551,727 | 51.02% |
| 76-100 Average | $406,304 | 51.02% |
Based against WTA Tour Rankings
At first glance, Sabalenka—a player who earned more than $15 million competing across the 2025 calendar—calling for more money may sound ludicrous. Today’s players can win significant sums each year, with the Grand Slams representing the peak earning opportunities.
This is reflected in the fact that more than 59% of Sabalenka’s annual earnings came from her four Grand Slam appearances. For top players, however, the issue is often as much about respect and perceived value at tournaments as it is about the numbers.
In reality, prize money is a far more serious issue for lower-ranked players. For those on the fringes of the sport, qualifying for one or more slams can determine whether they can afford to compete for the remainder of the year. Based on the most recently announced prize funds, the average take-home pay for a player making a single first-round appearance is $101,500.
This helps cover the costs of competing on tour, including, but not limited to, travel, accommodation, and coaching fees—expenses that can run into tens of thousands of dollars each year.
While the best players earn millions through tournament success, the financial drop-off for lower-ranked players is steep. Last year, the bottom 25% of the top 100 earners on the women’s tour received, on average, just 2.71% of Sabalenka’s earnings.
This is before accounting for off-court income from endorsements and partnerships. Players like Sabalenka can add millions through deals with brands such as Audemars Piguet, Gucci, and Nike. For lower-ranked players, however, partnerships may not generate meaningful income and can amount only to free products or services.
As a result, increasing prize money—particularly by allocating a greater share to qualifying and early-round matches at the Grand Slams—matters most for those players. While this point is being raised in the dispute, players should communicate it more clearly and forcefully to support competitiveness across the sport.
With the US Open having already proactively increased its prize money significantly in 2025, it remains to be seen how the organizers of Roland Garros and the Wimbledon Championships will respond to the latest outcry.
They cannot afford to lose their star attractions, so some concessions to player demands should be expected. However, the extent of any changes remains unclear. From their perspective, the slams already offer some of the highest prize money in the sport and have redesigned their prize distributions to better support players in the early rounds.
Furthermore, these tournament organizers were forced to absorb the costs of the COVID-19 pandemic only five or six years ago and may feel a need to continue rebuilding their finances. Tennis Australia’s (organizer of the Australian Open) 2020/21 annual report showed a net loss of AUD 100.02 million (USD 72.41 million) during the period, which exhausted cash reserves and forced it to take out an AUD 40 million loan (USD 28.60 million) amid these challenges.
In recent years, each of the four Grand Slams has increased ticket prices and announced record-breaking attendance, boosting revenue. Even so, organizers must strike a careful balance to avoid calls such as Sabalenka’s for a boycott, which could create a lose-lose-lose outcome for players, organizers, and fans alike.
