Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff are among 20 top tennis players who signed a letter urging Grand Slam leaders to increase prize money and give athletes a stronger voice in decisions that “directly impact us.”
A copy of the letter, dated March 21 and obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, requests an in-person meeting at this month’s Madrid Open with representatives of the four majors: Craig Tiley (Australian Open), Stephane Morel (French Open), Sally Bolton (Wimbledon) and Lew Sherr (U.S. Open).
Handwritten signatures include 10 of the top 11 women from the March 3 rankings – Elena Rybakina was the only one missing – and the entire men’s top 10.
Signers on the women’s side include No. 1-ranked Sabalenka, Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Jasmine Paolini, Emma Navarro, Zheng Qinwen, Paula Badosa and Mirra Andreeva.
The men’s list features No. 1-ranked Sinner – currently serving a three-month doping ban – along with Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur.
Of the 20, 15 have won at least one Grand Slam title or reached a major final.
The players outlined three areas of focus:
- Grand Slam tournaments should contribute financially to player welfare programs funded by the two pro tours.
- Prize money should increase “to a more appropriate percentage of tournament revenues, reflective of the players’ contribution to tournament value.”
- Athletes should have more input on decisions “directly impacting competition, as well as player health and welfare.”
News of the letter – first reported by French sports newspaper L’Équipe – comes about two weeks after the players’ association co-founded by Djokovic filed an antitrust lawsuit against the women’s and men’s professional tours, the International Tennis Federation and the sport’s integrity agency in federal court in New York. Djokovic was not listed as a plaintiff, saying he wanted other players to take the lead.
The lawsuit seeks more revenue for players, arguing too little reaches their hands. It also outlines other complaints about how the sport is governed.
The antitrust filing referenced a report claiming the U.S. Open generated more revenue from the sale of one specialty cocktail ($12.8 million) than it paid to the men’s and women’s champions combined.
The U.S. Tennis Association offered a record $75 million in total compensation – including prize money and player expense reimbursements – for the 2024 U.S. Open, up about 15% from the $65 million awarded in 2023.
Based on currency exchange rates at the time, Wimbledon awarded about $64 million in prize money last year, while the French Open and Australian Open offered roughly $58 million each.
“The USTA is always available for and welcomes open and direct conversations with players, whether on site at the U.S. Open or at any other point of the year, as we are consistently looking for ways to enhance our event for the benefit of players and fans,” spokesman Brendan McIntyre said in a written statement.
“The USTA is incredibly proud of the U.S. Open’s leadership in player compensation throughout its history and our support to grow professional tennis not only in the United States but worldwide,” he said. “This includes offering equal prize money to men and women for more than 50 years and awarding the largest purse in tennis history at the 2024 U.S. Open.”
The next Grand Slam tournament is the French Open, with main-draw matches beginning in Paris on May 25.