French Open 2026: Players cut pre-match media short after 15 minutes as pay talks continue

Last year the prize fund rose by 7% to £53.5m, double the amount offered a decade ago.

The players look at them with envy, but they also look at the revenue generated by the Grand Slams and feel entitled to a bigger piece of the cake.

AELTC’s financial statements for the year to July 2025 showed revenues of £427m and profits after tax of £39.7m.

Players have asked the Slams to pay 22% of their earnings in prize money by 2030.

They are also demanding tens of millions of dollars in pension, health care and maternity benefits, and greater consultation on programming and other key decisions.

At this month’s Italian Open, world number one Aryna Sabalenka said she believed players would “at some point” stop at one of the majors.

World number three Iga Svitek felt it was “a bit extreme”, but French Open champion Coco Gauff said she would support the strike “if everyone moves together and works together”.

Men’s world number one Jannik Sinner says players don’t get the respect they deserve when it comes to major prize money.

The French Open runs from May 24 to June 7.