Jannik Sinner criticises Grand Slam inaction on player prize money and welfare demands

Men’s world number two calls out tennis majors for failing to engage with repeated requests from players.

• Proposals from top players over alterations to prize money reportedly rejected in August
• Grand Slams claim they cannot hold talks until legal case brought by PTPA is resolved
• Sinner wants “fair contribution to support all players” and for prize money that “better reflects what these tournaments earn”

Tennis superstar Jannik Sinner has called out the Grand Slams for failing to engage with requests from the sport’s top stars regarding discussions on prize money and welfare benefits for lower-ranked players.

The game’s leading players have been pushing for changes to prize money, which saw them write a letterto the organisers of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open earlier this year calling for an increased share of revenue.

However, the delegation of top players has not been enough to prompt change from the Grand Slams. Detailed proposals for alterations to prize money were rejected by the four tournaments in August and a request for a meeting to discuss these concerns at the US Open was also turned down, according to the Guardian.

The Grand Slams have reportedly told the players that they cannot hold substantive talks until a separate legal case brought by the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) has been resolved. The player organisation set up by Novak Djokovic launched legal action against tennis’ governing bodies in March, accusing them of ‘systemic abuse, anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare’.

The Guardian adds that the Grand Slams also referenced ongoing negotiations over the tennis calendar and plans for a so-called ‘Premium Tour’ as further reasons for not being able to advance the talks.

Men’s world number two Sinner has now openly expressed frustration at the refusal of the four majors to discuss welfare benefits, while also repeating the players’ call for more prize money.

“We had good conversations with the Grand Slams at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, so it was disappointing when they said they cannot act on our proposals until other issues are resolved,” Sinner told the Guardian.

“Calendar and scheduling are important topics, but there is nothing stopping the slams from addressing player welfare benefits like pensions and healthcare right now.

“The Grand Slams are the biggest events and generate most of the revenue in tennis, so we are asking for a fair contribution to support all players, and for prize money that better reflects what these tournaments earn. We want to work together with the slams to find solutions that are good for everyone in tennis.”

The slice of the pie given out in prize money has been a consistent gripe of the players despite sizeable increases in recent years. For instance, the US Open increased the total prize pot for this year’s tournament to US$90 million, an increase of 20 per cent on 2024.

But the Grand Slams’ overall revenues have also increased and players frequently cite comparisons to other sports, particularly the National Basketball Association (NBA), to show they are missing out.

The players argue that the ratio of prize money to overall tournament income is too low at about 12 per cent to 15 per cent across the four Grand Slams, compared to 22 per cent on the ATP and WTA tours, such as Indian Wells and the Italian Open, where male and female players earn the same prize money.

Sinner, who ranked 21^st in SportsPro’s 16th annual list of the world’s 50 Most Marketable Athletes (50MM), is expected to be among several players to speak out on behalf of their peers.

While meetings between players and the Grand Slams have so far been cordial, there is reportedly growing frustration among players due to the tournaments’ refusal to share the financial details they requested.

The ATP and WTA tours are also unhappy at what they regard as a lack of transparency and open communication from the Grand Slams, according to the Guardian, despite a longstanding arrangement to cooperate over prize money.

Credit: https://www.sportspro.com/news/jannik-sinner-tennis-grand-slams-prize-money-player-welfare-october-2025/