In keeping with a report first revealed by L’Équipe, gamers at Roland-Garros are planning a coordinated media protest tied to the continued dispute over Grand Slam income sharing.
The protest may embrace gamers limiting their necessary press conferences to roughly quarter-hour every — a symbolic gesture tied to the share of match revenues at present distributed to gamers as prize cash.
It could not sound like a lot, however gamers usually spend as much as an hour doing media obligations on media day on the majors. Along with a standard press convention, there are tv interviews, radio interviews and social media hits orchestrated by the match.
Some imagine that the gamers are referring to solely their press conferences, which generally final lower than quarter-hour.
However authentic reporting by L’Équipes Julien Reboullet hinted that quarter-hour is the cut-off for all media.
“For this reason a lot of the prime gamers deliberate to finish their media appearances on Friday after precisely fifteen minutes. They supposed to go away the Media Middle instantly and refuse to present any additional interviews to anybody. This symbolic motion is probably not the one one,” learn Reboullet’s textual content, translated to English.
We’ll discover out for certain on Friday.
The story was later detailed additional by the Associated Press and a number of worldwide shops.
Gamers declare their share of Roland-Garros income has steadily declined in recent times, dropping from 15.5 % in 2024 to a projected 14.9 % in 2026. In keeping with the gamers, the match generated roughly €395 million in income in 2025, whereas prize cash elevated by solely 5.4 %. Gamers are reportedly searching for a income share nearer to 22 %, much like ATP and WTA 1000 occasions.
“With estimated revenues of over 400 million euros for this yr’s match, prize cash as a share of income will doubtless nonetheless be lower than 15%, far in need of the 22% that gamers have requested,” the gamers mentioned, in response to the AP.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner just lately mentioned gamers “don’t really feel revered” throughout negotiations, whereas ladies’s No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka brazenly mentioned the potential for a future boycott if significant progress shouldn’t be made.
Roland-Garros just lately introduced a 9.5 % improve in whole prize cash for 2026, bringing the purse to €61.7 million, whereas qualifying prize cash rose by almost 13 %.
“The FFT is prepared for direct and constructive discussions on governance points,” the French Tennis Federation mentioned in a press release, including that talks surrounding participant protections, governance and income distribution are ongoing forward of this yr’s match in Paris.
“Past the prize cash, a Grand Slam match like Roland Garros presents gamers distinctive publicity, producing oblique earnings by sponsorships, partnerships, exhibitions and look charges,” the FFT mentioned, in response to reporting by the AP. “This yr the French Tennis Federation additionally selected to direct a good portion of those will increase towards gamers eradicated within the early rounds of the principle draw and qualifying rounds, with will increase of greater than 11%, in an effort to higher assist those that rely most on match earnings to finance their season.”
