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Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka is prepared to boycott Grand Slams to force a fairer distribution of prize money. The world No. 1 made the statement at a press conference during the Rome tournament, explaining why she and other tennis professionals expressed their 'deep disappointment' in an open letter on Monday regarding the prize money at Roland Garros.
'At some point, we'll have to'
"We put on a show. Without us, there would be no tournaments, no entertainment. I believe we should be paid better," Sabalenka stated. "At some point, we'll have to boycott if that's the only way to defend our rights," the Belarusian player continued.
Prize Money Dispute
In April, top players from both the ATP and WTA circuits jointly signed a letter to the organizers of the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open, demanding a more equitable distribution of prize money. They called for an increase in the players' share to 22 percent.
'Far short'
Although Roland Garros has increased its prize money for this year's edition (by 9.5 percent to 61.7 million euros), Sabalenka and her peers are dissatisfied with their share. "That will likely remain below 15 percent, far short of the requested 22 percent."
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