The 24-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic, has publicly backed the concerns raised by fellow players.
He believes that the moment for change has arrived and suggests the future of the sport is now largely in the hands of the younger generation.
Djokovic also praised Aryna Sabalenka for what he described as strong leadership in encouraging players to unite and consider boycotting the French Open following the announcement of this year’s prize money structure.
“Watching from the sidelines, players know that they’ll always have my support.
“The new generations are coming up.
“I’m glad that there is willingness from the leaders of our sport, like Sabalenka, to really step up and really understand the dynamics of how the tennis politics works and understand the nuances and really what needs to be done not only for her benefit and well-being, but for everyone.
“That’s true leadership for me, and I think she needs to maintain that. I salute that. That’s all I have to say about it. We’re all part of the same sport. We all try to elevate the game, whether it’s players, tournaments, or governing bodies.
“Unfortunately, there is often conflicts of interest that some people don’t want to address. I think that’s where the players really have the power. I’m always supportive of the stronger player position in the ecosystem.”
The push for better player compensation comes after organisers of the French Open confirmed in April a 10 per cent increase in the tournament’s total prize fund to £53.39 million, an increase of £4.58 million from 2025.
Several players believe the distribution of the money still does not compare favourably with other major ATP and WTA Tour events. Both the men’s and women’s singles champions are expected to take home around £2.42 million this year.
Reports also indicate that this year’s French Open winners will each earn £2.18 million, while the overall prize fund for the tournament is valued at close to £53.9 million, making it one of the richest editions of Roland Garros in history.
In a joint statement, players who are in support of this said, “the underlying figures tell a very different story, “Because players continue to receive a smaller share of the total tournament revenues compared to those on offer at other ATP and WTA Tour events.
Wimbledon and the US Open have yet to reveal their prize money figures for this year, with Jannik Sinner expressing hope that both tournaments will take players’ concerns into consideration.
“It’s more about respect. Because I think we give much more than what we are getting back.
“It’s not only for the top players; it’s for all of us players.”
