Tennis players seeking more prize money say they won't go public with their protests anymore

Top tennis players who have been protesting for a larger share of revenues from the biggest tournaments in the sport say they will no longer go public with their demands now that a Grand Slam Player Advisory Council has been formed.

“The players will now work directly with the Grand Slams to establish the council, through which players themselves will be directly consulted and able to negotiate on an ongoing basis,” a statement from the players’ representatives said Monday.

The Grand Slam Player Advisory Council was announced last month by the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

“Now that a formal council exists to carry this work forward, the public phase of the campaign led by the unified group of top players comes to a close,” the players' statement said. “Players reserve the right to re-start the campaign should the council fail to deliver on these aims.”

Besides a bigger cut of revenues, the players have also sought better representation, health options and pensions. Some limited their media appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon as a protest, with Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff among the stars who even threatened a potential boycott of the Slams before play began in Paris if they didn’t start receiving more compensation.

The players had asked for 22% of tournament revenues.

“While the Grand Slams have not yet reached this figure or committed to formal revenue sharing agreements, all have increased prize money significantly beyond their long-term trend prior to the campaign, over the past 18 months,” the players’ statement said.

“Since the players’ formal proposal was submitted on 31 July 2025, prize money across these Grand Slam tournaments — the 2025 and 2026 US Open and the 2026 Australian Open, Wimbledon and Roland Garros — has grown to $415.6 million in total, with players estimating that more than $30 million of that reflects incremental gains above the rate of growth in the years before the campaign began.”

The Australian Open, French Open and U.S. Open are operated by nonprofit governing bodies. Wimbledon is run by the private All England Club.

See AP’s full tennis coverage here