Tennis Players Continue Prize Money Protest at Wimbledon

World number ones Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka are among leading tennis players continuing their prize money protest at Wimbledon by restricting media appearances. The players will limit post-match interviews to 15 minutes during the first week of the Championships, which begin on Monday.

Wimbledon recently announced a 20% increase in total prize money to £64.2 million, the largest annual rise in the tournament's history. However, players argue that this still falls short of their demand for a greater share of Grand Slam revenue.

The players are asking each Grand Slam to allocate 16% of tournament revenue to prize money this year, increasing to 22% by 2030. Based on Wimbledon's 2025 revenue, that would equate to a prize pot of over £70 million by 2026, significantly higher than the current £64.2 million.

Player demands and reaction

• Players want a higher share of revenue to reflect their contribution to the financial success of Grand Slams.
• They also seek increased consultation on scheduling, late-night finishes, and tournament length.
• Welfare concerns include larger contributions to pension, healthcare, and maternity funds.
• The All England Club said it was 'surprised and disappointed' by the latest protest action.
• Similar protests occurred at the French Open, where players limited media duties to 15 minutes.

Prize money has increased at other majors this year: the Australian Open raised its pot by 16% in January, and the French Open by 9.5% in May. The Wimbledon protests aim to maintain pressure on organisers as the tennis calendar moves into the grass-court season.

With Wimbledon set to start on Monday, the limited media access is expected to continue throughout the first week. Sinner has previously described the issue as 'about respect', while Sabalenka called for 'mutually beneficial solutions' between players and tournament organisers.