Top Tennis Stars Demand Fairer Prize Money Share From Grand Slams Amid Ongoing Dispute

Top tennis players led by Jannik Sinner are publicly criticizing the four Grand Slam tournaments for refusing to engage with their proposals for fairer prize money distribution and enhanced welfare benefits, such as pensions and healthcare, particularly for lower-ranked players. Despite generating the majority of tennis revenue, Grand Slam events currently allocate only about 12-15% of their revenue to player prize money, significantly less than the approximately 22% at other ATP and WTA tournaments, fueling player frustration. In August 2025, detailed proposals from the top players were rejected by the Grand Slams, and a requested meeting during the US Open was also denied, with organizers citing a pending legal case involving the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) and ongoing calendar negotiations as reasons for the delay. Sinner and other players argue that welfare discussions could proceed independently of these legal and scheduling issues, emphasizing the tournaments' responsibility to support all players fairly. The standoff highlights a broader tension within professional tennis regarding revenue sharing and player welfare, with top athletes seeking a collaborative solution that better reflects the financial realities of the sport's biggest events.