World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has put Grand Slam organizers on notice, warning in Rome that top players could boycott tennis's biggest stages if the four majors do not hand over a larger share of their booming revenues. Her broadside, delivered at the Italian Open, comes as player anger over this year's French Open prize-money bump spills into full public view and lands squarely on Roland-Garros, which opens May 24.
“I think at some point we will boycott it, yeah,” Sabalenka told reporters at a pre-tournament press conference, calling a boycott “the only way to fight for our rights.” As reported by The Guardian, she argued that “without us there wouldn’t be a tournament” and that players “definitely deserve to be paid more percentage.”
Players' statement and the math
Sabalenka's comments landed right after a joint statement from about 20 leading men's and women's players, who said they were “deeply disappointed” by the French Open payout and how overall revenues are sliced up. The group said that “Players’ share of Roland Garros tournament revenue has declined from 15.5% in 2024 to 14.9% projected in 2026,” according to The Washington Post. They also called for bigger contributions to welfare funds and a stronger voice in decisions that shape their livelihoods.
Prize pots vs. revenue
Roland-Garros has announced a total prize pot for 2026 of €61.723 million, roughly a 9.5% increase on last year, and has highlighted expanded player services and upgraded recovery facilities. Players counter that those headline boosts are not keeping pace with the wider commercial boom. Reporting in Tennis Majors notes that they point to roughly €395 million in revenue for 2025 and say they want a staged rise toward a roughly 22% share. The friction between a bigger pot and a shrinking percentage cut sits at the heart of the dispute.
How a boycott could play out
A coordinated walkout would be a nuclear option. The Grand Slams generate most of tennis's commercial cash, but those same tournaments lean heavily on star power to sell tickets, drive TV audiences and keep sponsors happy. Some players sound ready to escalate. Jasmine Paolini has said a walkout “is something we could do” if men and women stay unified, while Iga Świątek has urged more dialogue and described a boycott as “a bit extreme.” Those comments were reported by SFGate/AP and The Guardian, respectively.
What's next
Players say they want substantive sit-downs with Grand Slam chiefs before Roland-Garros, and the shift from private letters to public pressure suggests patience is wearing thin. Tournament directors have floated consultative mechanisms, but players told Tennis Majors that such proposals are no replacement for a long-term revenue-sharing plan. With Paris less than three weeks away, tennis is about to find out whether its biggest names can turn their talk into leverage or whether this standoff will cool off before the first ball is tossed.
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