Tennis in crisis as sport’s biggest stars threaten boycott of upcoming grand slam

Men’s World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has led the calls for action and declared players are ready to do whatever it takes to secure the pay they deserve.

However, the Italian insists at the root of the problem isn’t money, it’s the lack of respect.

“It’s more about respect,” Sinner said in Rome before competing at the Italian Open.

“I think we give much more than what we are getting back. It’s not only for the top players – it’s for all of us players, from men’s and women’s side.

“The top 10 men and top 10 women, we wrote a letter and it’s not nice that after one year we are not even close to a conclusion for what we would like to have.

“Talking in other sports, if the top athletes, they send important letters, I truly believe that within 48 hours you have not only a response but you also have a meeting.

“Of course we talk about money. The most important is respect, and we just don’t feel it.”

Sinner has received widespread support from fellow tennis stars for his comments, with fellow World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and defending Roland Garros champion Coco Gauff also stating they are willing to join a potential boycott.

The pair have voiced their displeasure with the fact players are set to receive less than 10 per cent of the revenue generated by the upcoming French Open, well short of the 22 per cent they recently demanded.

Speaking about the issue, Sinner said the situation had not improved despite the top-10 ranked men and women writing a letter to grand slam organisers last year, asking for a bigger share of the revenue.

Meetings have taken place between players and grand slam representatives, but limited progress has been made.

Grand slam executives are currently limited in what they can discuss among themselves or with players, due to a lawsuit brought by the Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) in March 2025, which accused them of having “monopolistic control.”

Since then, the financial pot at last year’s US Open climbed by 20 per cent, and the Australian Open’s prize pool went up 16 per cent year on year in January.

And while Sinner stopped short of declaring he would boycott a Grand Slam if it didn’t change, he said it was an option that was being seriously considered.

“I think in the next couple of weeks we know also the prize money we’re going to have in Wimbledon,” Sinner said.

“We truly hope that it’s going to be better. Then, of course, US Open. So I do understand players talking about a boycott because it’s somewhere we also need to start. It has been a very long time with this.

“ … It’s the first time that I feel like the players are all in the same scenario and in the same point of view.

“I think it’s also right because without the players, they are not going to happen, any tournaments. In the same time we also know and we respect the tournaments because they make us bigger as athletes.

“Let’s see in the future.”

While 24-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic, who co-founded the PTPA, said, “players know that they’ll always have my support”.

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