Top Tennis Stars, Including Novak Djokovic, Demand Greater Prize Money and Influence
Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff are among 20 of tennis’ most prominent players who have co-signed a letter addressed to the leaders of the four Grand Slam tournaments. The letter calls for increased prize money and more player influence in key decisions affecting their careers.
Dated March 21, the letter proposes an in-person meeting at the upcoming Madrid Open with Craig Tiley (Australian Open), Stephane Morel (French Open), Sally Bolton (Wimbledon), and Lew Sherr (US Open). It emphasizes three main requests:
- Improved Player Welfare: A financial contribution from the Grand Slams to player welfare programs managed by the ATP and WTA tours.
- Increased Prize Money: Adjusting prize money to better reflect players’ roles in generating tournament revenue.
- Greater Player Voice: More influence in decisions that impact competition, health, and welfare.
The letter features signatures from the entire top 10 male players as of March 3 and 10 of the top 11 female players — with only Elena Rybakina absent. Notable names include Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
This initiative follows the recent filing of an antitrust lawsuit by the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), co-founded by Djokovic. The suit challenges the existing power structure in tennis and criticizes the small percentage of revenues shared with athletes. Although Djokovic is not named as a plaintiff, he has expressed his support for the action and the involvement of other players.
The lawsuit points to discrepancies such as the US Open generating $12.8 million from a single cocktail sales line — more than the total prize awarded to both singles champions. In 2024, the US Open distributed a record $75 million in compensation, up from $65 million the previous year. Wimbledon followed with about $64 million, while the French Open and Australian Open offered around $58 million each.
In response, USTA spokesman Brendan McIntyre reaffirmed the association’s commitment to dialogue:
“The USTA is always open to direct conversations with players. We are proud of our leadership in player compensation, including over 50 years of equal prize money for men and women and setting records with our 2024 purse.”
The next Grand Slam on the calendar is the French Open, which begins May 25 in Paris.
