ROME (AP) — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka believes tennis players should organize a boycott if they don’t start receiving a bigger share of tournament revenues at the Grand Slams — and the likes of Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini are prepared to protest, too.
Sabalenka and fellow No. 1 Jannik Sinner were among leading players — most of them ranked in the top 10 — who issued a statement on Monday expressing “deep disappointment” over the French Open prize money.
“Without us there wouldn’t be a tournament and there wouldn’t be that entertainment. I feel like definitely we deserve to be paid more percentage,” Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, said on Tuesday at the Italian Open.
“I think at some point we will boycott it. I feel like that’s going to be the only way to fight for our rights,” Sabalenka added on her 28th birthday.
The players are also seeking better representation, health options and pensions from the four Grand Slam tournaments: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.