Sabalenka cuts media duties to protest French Open prize money

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenkova suspended her media duties at the French Open on Friday as part of a coordinated protest by top players against the distribution of Grand Slam prize money. Belarus was among several top stars to stick to the 15-minute press limit ahead of the tournament in Paris.

The protest reflects growing discontent among playerswho believe the four Grand Slams should allocate a greater share of their total revenue to rewards, benefits and player representation in key decision-making areas.

Sabalenka, one of the most vocal figures in the ongoing debate, limited her interaction with the media to a brief five-minute interview with the host of the broadcast, followed by a ten-minute press conference with press reporters.

“I’m here to talk to you because I respect you,” Sabalenka said. “We just wanted to express our opinion and we are united, 15 minutes is better than zero.”

The symbolic 15-minute limit was designed to highlight the fact that the French Open currently allocates roughly 15% of its revenue to prize money. The strategy was reportedly communicated to most of the top 200 singles players, although participation in the protest remained voluntary.

“As I’ve said a thousand times today, I have a lot of respect, but we know what’s going on here, so thank you very much,” she added before ending the English portion of her media session, where she was supposed to accommodate reporters from Belarus.

Several big names, including the men’s world number one Jannik Sinner and four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek also followed the work-to-rule during Friday’s media day.

GROWING PRESSURE ON INCOME SHARE

The coordinated action represents another escalation in the broader conversation about revenue sharing in professional tennis. The leading players in both the ATP and WTA tournaments are increasingly claiming that the Grand Slams generate enormous commercial revenue, while the players receive a relatively limited share of the profits.

Key demands include a higher percentage of tournament revenue allocated to prize money, better benefit contributions, and greater player influence over planning and tournament operations. While this year’s French Open prize pool grew by 9.5%, players pointed out that prize money growth varied significantly between tournaments, with the US Open increasing payouts by 20% last year and the Australian Open by almost 16% earlier this season.

Twenty-four-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic did not formally participate in the protest against media restrictions but he publicly supported the movement’s broader tenets and continued his long-standing advocacy for player rights and representation.

Sabalenka has previously warned that players could possibly consider boycotting the Grand Slam tournament if revenue-sharing talks do not progress, underscoring the seriousness of the dispute as tensions continue to rise ahead of the French Open.

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Published on:

May 23, 2026 0:43 AM IST

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