American player Emma Navarro stated that she has endorsed a letter co-signed by leading tennis athletes worldwide, urging substantial enhancements in prize money across all four major Grand Slam tournaments. This initiative aims to guarantee fair and equitable treatment of players.
The sports newspaper L'Equipe from France stated on Wednesday evening that the top 20 male and female tennis players have recently addressed letters to the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, requesting a fairer allocation of prize money.
While those at top of the game are able to benefit from increased prize money, players at the lower levels often struggle due to a lack of steady sponsorship as well as expensive coaching, travel and accommodation.
The world’s eleventh-ranked player mentioned they discussed it briefly with the other players and believed signing would be beneficial,” he stated to journalists at the Charleston Open on Wednesday.
I believe there were certain inequitable salary discrepancies – though I’m not sure about the precise terms – in previous years.
I believe it's a noble effort for us as players to unite and ensure we receive fair treatment.
The United States Tennis Association, responsible for organizing the US Open, verified that they had received the letter and stated they “welcome open and direct discussions with athletes.” They also highlighted their pride in leading the way regarding player remuneration throughout their history.
The USTA stated in a Reuters interview that this involves providing identical prize money to both men and women for over five decades, along with granting the biggest-ever payout in tennis history during the 2024 US Open,
Being the national authority for tennis in the US, we are dedicated to making sure that we effectively support and finance our initiative to expand tennis with the aim of inspiring healthier individuals and communities across the nation.
Reuters has similarly reached out to the remaining three Grand Slam events for their input.
In 2024, an all-time high of $254 million was allocated for athlete payouts across the Grand Slam tournaments, marking an increase of $23 million compared to 2023. This upward trajectory shows no signs of slowing down as the Australian Open, scheduled for January, has announced a rise in prize money by 11.56% over last year’s figures.
This year at Melbourne Park, the winners took home approximately $2.2 million, whereas those who were eliminated after the first round received about $83,000.
The world No. 8 player, Zheng Qinwen, stated to journalists that she believes increased prize money from the Grand Slam events should be distributed among players with lower rankings.
"I believe this will be advantageous for all players, not just the top ones, particularly those who put in significant effort throughout the year and rely on earnings from the Grand Slams to make ends meet," she said.
Zheng suggested that tennis ought to emulate the NBA model, wherein athletes receive approximately half of all revenue generated from basketball activities.
"Indeed, this is quite positive since when you consider basketball, everyone receives an equal split of 50-50. As for us athletes, we put in tremendous effort; as someone who plays tennis, I can attest to just how much work it takes to reach this level," remarked the Olympic winner.
Zheng expressed doubt that the Grand Slam tournaments would heed the requests made by the players.
We attempt to do our best, and then let’s observe what fate has in store for us. However, at the very least, we’re making an effort.
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