Sinner Says Pay Dispute Could Lead to French Open Boycott

Jannik Sinner says the tension over French Open prize money has hit a point where a boycott is on the table—because, in his view, players don't feel respected, Reuters reports. The world tennis No. 1 told reporters in Rome that top names, including Aryna Sabalenka and defending Roland Garros champion Coco Gauff, are backing the threat after failing to secure what they say is a fair cut of tournament revenue.

Organizers recently announced a 9.5% bump in total prize money to $72 million, but players say their overall slice is shrinking, from 15.5% in 2024 to a projected 14.9% in 2026, well below the 22% they've requested (and what they receive from some other events, ESPN reports). Sinner said a letter sent last year by top-10 men and women to Grand Slam organizers has led nowhere: "After one year we are not even close to conclusion." Players are similarly upset with other Grand Slams, and are waiting to see what Wimbledon and the US Open will do first, Yahoo Sports reports. Novak Djokovic, a co-founder of the Professional Tennis Players Association, publicly backed Sabalenka's push, calling her stance "true leadership" and saying the dispute underscores the need for broader reform in the sport.