Jannik Sinner Calls Out Grand Slams For Delaying Welfare And Prize Money Talks

Jannik Sinner has criticised nan expansive slam tournaments for failing to prosecute pinch repeated requests from nan world’s apical stars to talk prize money and use benefits for lower-ranked players.

The Guardian has learned that elaborate proposals from nan world’s apical 10 antheral and female players complete alterations to prize money were rejected by nan expansive slam tournaments successful August, while their petition for a gathering to talk their concerns astatine nan US Open was besides turned down.

However, nan expansive slam tournaments are understood to person told nan players that they cannot clasp substantive talks until a abstracted ineligible lawsuit brought by nan Professional Tennis Players Association has been resolved. They besides referenced ongoing negotiations complete nan tennis almanac and plans for a alleged Premium Tour.

Sinner expressed vexation astatine nan refusal of expansive slam tournaments to talk use benefits successful particular, arsenic good arsenic repeating nan players’ telephone for greater prize money.

The players reason that nan ratio of prize money to wide tourney income is excessively debased astatine astir 12% to 15% crossed nan 4 expansive slam tournaments, compared to 22% connected nan ATP and WTA tours, specified arsenic Indian Wells and nan Italian Open, wherever antheral and female players gain nan aforesaid prize money. At Wimbledon past year, nan full prize cookware of £50m was 12.3% of nan Championships’ £406.5m revenue.

Jannik Sinner said: ‘The expansive slams make astir of nan gross successful tennis, truthful we are asking for a adjacent publication to support each players.’ Photograph: Helmut Fohringer/APA/AFP/Getty Images

“We had bully conversations pinch nan expansive slams astatine Roland Garros and Wimbledon, truthful it was disappointing erstwhile they said they cannot enactment connected our proposals until different issues are resolved,” Sinner told nan Guardian.

“Calendar and scheduling are important topics, but location is thing stopping nan slams from addressing subordinate use benefits for illustration pensions and healthcare correct now.

“The expansive slams are nan biggest events and make astir of nan gross successful tennis, truthful we are asking for a adjacent publication to support each players, and for prize money that amended reflects what these tournaments earn. We want to activity together pinch nan slams to find solutions that are bully for everyone successful tennis.”

The Guardian tin besides uncover specifications of nan unsuccessful negotiations that did return spot this summer, which has led to Sinner speaking retired connected behalf of his chap professionals. Many of nan ATP players who signed nan letters, including Carlos Alcaraz who past period said that nan players “are fighting to person thing better” are expected to travel his lead astatine nan Paris Masters this week.

The conflict began successful March erstwhile nan apical 10 players connected some nan men’s and women’s tours sent a missive to each nan expansive slam tournaments demanding a greater stock of nan gross astatine nan 4 events. The missive besides outlined vexation that nan expansive slams do not lend towards subordinate use benefits specified arsenic pensions, healthcare and maternity pay, whereas nan ATP and WTA tours salary a mixed $80m (£60m) each year. It besides raised grievances complete nan awesome championships’ nonaccomplishment to consult connected important scheduling changes, specified arsenic Sunday starts astatine nan Australian and US Opens, which were introduced successful 2024 and 2025 respectively.

Initial talks betwixt executives representing nan expansive slams and nan players and their representative, Larry Scott, a erstwhile subordinate who besides served arsenic chair and main executive of nan WTA, were held 3 days earlier nan commencement of nan French Open successful May. The players were represented by Sinner, Casper Ruud and Alex de Minaur from nan ATP tour, and Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Madison Keys from nan WTA.

Further meetings took spot betwixt Scott and nan main executives of nan expansive slam tournaments astatine Wimbledon successful July, erstwhile nan players were represented by Alexander Zverev and Belinda Bencic. Although cordial, location is understood to person been immoderate vexation from nan players astatine nan refusal of nan expansive slams to stock financial specifications they requested.

The ATP and WTA tours are besides understood to beryllium unhappy astatine what they respect arsenic a deficiency of transparency and unfastened connection from nan expansive slams, contempt a longstanding statement to cooperate complete prize money.

Both Wimbledon and nan US Open stock purse accusation pinch nan ATP and WTA Tour executive teams earlier it is made public, including a breakdown of prize money per information for singles, doubles and qualifying tournaments, but are fixed nary opportunity complete nan full amount. In erstwhile years, nan tours person been asked for input regarding prize money allocations by information and are usually fixed astir 48 hours to respond earlier nan full prize money for each information of nan title is publically announced.

Wimbledon announced a 7% summation successful prize money this twelvemonth for a full a prize-money excavation of £53m, but astir of nan uplift went to nan 4 semi-finalists successful nan men’s and women’s singles, pinch nan winners – Sinner and nan women’s champion, Iga Swiatek – some receiving £3m. The summation for nan remainder of nan main tie was 5% astatine a clip erstwhile nan UK ostentation complaint was 3.5% however, truthful nan salary emergence successful existent position was limited.

The WTA Players’ Council is understood to person sent a counterproposal to nan All England Club saying nan prize allocation was excessively top-heavy and suggesting much money beryllium fixed to players knocked retired earlier nan past 16, but it was rejected. A akin speech took spot pinch nan US Tennis Federation successful August earlier nan US Open, which offered nan biggest purse successful tennis history astatine £63.8m, pinch nan aforesaid outcome.

Last month, Gauff said of prize money breakdown astatine nan expansive slam tournaments: “I deliberation it’s important for nan full ecosystem of nan sport. We’re not talking astir conscionable raising nan prize money for nan champion, but trickling each nan measurement down to qualies.

“We benignant of want them [the expansive slam championships] to put much successful nan circuit arsenic a whole, not only erstwhile it comes to prize money, but nan wellbeing of players and conscionable trickling that down, each nan measurement down to nan lower-ranked players arsenic well. Our 200th champion player, 300th champion subordinate are struggling to make ends meet.”

Detailed proposals from nan players for revised prize money were submitted to expansive slam tournaments successful August.

The absence of a patient consequence disappointed players to specified an grade that a 2nd missive demanding alteration was sent nan aforesaid month, which was besides signed by nan British No 1 Jack Draper, who was not successful nan world’s apical 10 earlier successful nan year.

The progressively acrimonious conflict complete prize money, pensions and healthcare benefits and a deficiency of consultation complete nan almanac has dominated nan tennis season.

A delegation of apical players, including Sinner and Gauff, were progressive successful discussions pinch tourney executives astatine nan French Open and Wimbledon this year. The players submitted proposals pursuing those meetings arsenic to really they could move guardant successful business pinch nan expansive slam events, who responded by citing nan ongoing PTPA litigation arsenic an obstacle to holding negotiations.

The PTPA, which was set up by Novak Djokovic 4 years ago, revenge an antitrust suit against nan ATP Tour, nan WTA Tour and nan International Tennis Federation successful March, accusing them of suppressing competition, manipulating prize money and imposing a restrictive ranking strategy connected nan players. Djokovic is simply a conspicuous absentee from nan confederation of apical players who person signed nan letters sent to nan expansive slam tournaments.