Sabalenka Warns of Imminent Player Boycott as Grand Slam Prize Money Dispute Escalates

Aryna Sabalenka said on Monday that top tennis players are likely to boycott grand slam tournaments if governing bodies refuse to increase prize money, marking a sharp escalation in a dispute that has simmered since the Australian Open and now threatens the season's remaining major events.

Speaking to media in her first public appearance since the French Open draw was announced, the world No. 2 and two-time Australian Open champion said a collective player action was now among the only remaining levers available to reshape how tournament revenues are distributed. "I think at some point we will boycott it," Sabalenka said. "I think that's the only way to fight for our rights."

The statement follows a coordinated letter from a group of ATP and WTA players to all four grand slam tournaments last week, demanding a larger share of revenues generated by broadcast rights, sponsorship deals, and ticketing. The letter, details of which were confirmed by two sources familiar with its contents, called for prize money at the majors to be tied to a fixed percentage of gross revenue — a structural change that would fundamentally alter the financial architecture of professional tennis.

The Revenue Question

At the heart of the dispute is a long-standing disagreement over how the four grand slams — the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open — allocate their annual income. The tournaments collectively generate over $2 billion in revenue per year, according to figures published by the ATP and WTA in joint financial reports. Player prize money across the four events currently totals approximately $400 million annually, a figure the players' group argues fails to reflect the labour that drives viewership and commercial value.

The ATP and WTA Players' Council has pushed for a minimum 25 percent revenue-share model, similar to structures used in professional golf and major North American sports leagues. Grand slam operators have resisted, arguing that infrastructure costs, development programmes, and contributions to lower-tier events justify current distributions. The International Tennis Federation, which co-sanctions the majors, has declined to comment publicly on the specific proposals under discussion.

Sabalenka's intervention places additional pressure on tournament directors already navigating fallout from a challenging year for tennis scheduling. The Australian Open faced criticism over the timing of its January window following player complaints about jet lag and surface transitions. The French Open begins on May 19, and negotiations over prize money allocations for that event concluded in March with an increase of roughly 6 percent — a figure players' representatives described as inadequate given inflation pressures and travel cost increases across the 2025-2026 season.

The Governing Bodies Respond

The ATP issued a statement on Monday afternoon acknowledging what it described as "ongoing productive dialogue" with player representatives but declined to confirm whether a revenue-share formula had been formally proposed to the grand slams. The WTA provided a similar response, emphasising its commitment to "ensuring the sport remains financially sustainable at all levels."

Neither body commented directly on the prospect of a boycott. The grand slam tournaments themselves — operated by Tennis Australia, the French Tennis Federation, the All England Club, and the USTA — have maintained a unified position in negotiations, coordinating through a shared working group established in 2023. That coordination has frustrated player representatives, who argue it eliminates the competitive pressure that might otherwise drive individual tournaments to improve offers.

The stakes extend beyond prize money. Several top players have indicated in private conversations with tennis media that their willingness to compete at certain events is increasingly contingent on financial terms, raising the prospect of high-profile absences even without a formal boycott. The ATP's ranking system, which requires participation in a minimum number of tournaments to maintain position, creates structural incentives for players to compete — but that leverage works both ways. Tournament operators have become acutely aware that a season without the sport's biggest names undermines the broadcast and sponsorship deals that fund the entire ecosystem.

What Comes Next

The French Open begins in less than two weeks. Tournament director Amélie Mauresmo said last week that the FFT was "confident" a resolution could be reached before play commenced, though she declined to specify what concessions, if any, were under discussion. Several top-10 players have already committed to competing in Paris, but sources close to the negotiations say the window for a pre-tournament agreement is narrowing.

What is clear is that the dispute has moved beyond the negotiating room and into public view. When a world No. 2 player tells assembled media that a boycott is a realistic prospect, the calculation changes — for tournament directors, for sponsors, and for the broadcast partners whose deals depend on star power. The question is no longer whether the sport faces a structural conflict over money. It is whether the major tournaments are willing to absorb the reputational and financial cost of letting that conflict go unresolved.

Sabalenka is seeded second at the 2026 French Open and is scheduled to begin her campaign against a qualifier in the first round.