The leading male and female tennis players have resolved to prolong their protests demanding a larger share of revenue from Grand Slam tournaments at Wimbledon.
Following their decision to restrict pre-tournament media appearances to just 15 minutes at the French Open last month, players will continue their protest through the first week of Wimbledon. This includes limiting their post-match media obligations during the event.
The elite players from both the ATP and WTA tours have been in ongoing discussions with Grand Slam organizers. They collectively sent a letter advocating for an increased share of prize money, enhancements to player welfare funds, and the establishment of a Grand Slam player committee.
In response to minimal progress over the past year, the players initiated a boycott of all but essential media obligations during their media day in Paris, refusing to engage with broadcasting rights holders who invest substantially in the tournament.
Hoping to avert such tensions, the All England Club engaged with player representatives during the French Open. Subsequently, they announced a record-breaking 20% increase in prize money for this year’s championships, raising the total to £64.2 million. While this increase was acknowledged by the player group, it still fell short of their target of £71 million. Currently, the revenue share at Wimbledon is at 14.4%, while the players are advocating for 16%.
At Wimbledon, player representatives have committed to extending their protest from the pre-tournament media day on Saturday throughout the first week of the championships, from June 29 to July 5.
