Palestinians drop bid for a senior U.N. role after U.S. pressure
Palestinians drop U.N. vice president bid due to U.S. pressure
NPR Topics: News1 min read
French Open rejects prize money change despite tennis stars’ boycott threat
TL;DR
The French Open will not increase its prize money this year despite player complaints about revenue share. Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo stated that discussions will continue, but no changes are expected.
Key points
- French Open prize money will not change this year
- Players receive 14.3 percent of revenue, lower than other tournaments
- Amelie Mauresmo open to discussions but no immediate changes
Mentioned in this story
French OpenAmelie Mauresmo
The French Open prize money will not change this year despite players complaining they deserve a bigger share, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo says.
Top players have criticised the organisers for reducing the players’ share of revenue to an alleged 14.3 percent, compared with 22 percent at standard ATP and WTA events.
To show their discontent, many competing at Roland Garros, where play begins on Sunday, are planning to limit their interaction with reporters to 15 minutes during Friday’s traditional pretournament media day.
Mauresmo, a former Australian Open and Wimbledon champion, said she remained open to dialogue and was confident of a solution. A meeting is expected on Friday between tournament organisers and the players and their representatives.
But asked whether there was a chance the prize money would change this year, Mauresmo said on Thursday: “No, we are not going to change anything. We are going to initiate discussions, and that is what everyone wants.”
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and fourth-ranked Coco Gauff were among leading players this month who supported a boycott of the Grand Slams if they don’t start receiving more compensation.
Roland Garros organisers increased the prize money by about 10 percent after the United States Open last year raised its pot by 20 percent and this year’s Australian Open by 16 percent.
The entire French Open pot was 61.7 million euros ($72m), up 5.3 million euros ($6.1m) from last year, but the players claimed their share of Roland Garros revenue declined from 15.5 percent in 2024 to 14.9 percent projected in 2026.
They said the event generated 395 million euros ($457.7m) in 2025, a 14 percent year-on-year increase, yet prize money rose by just 5.4 percent, reducing players’ share of revenue to 14.3 percent.
The singles champions at Roland Garros will each receive 2.8 million euros ($3.2m), an increase of 250,000 euros ($289,700) from 2025.
“I’m not going to tell you that everything will be resolved with the snap of a finger,” Mauresmo said. “But the discussions will continue, probably after the tournament.”
Q&A
Why did tennis players threaten to boycott the French Open?
Tennis players threatened to boycott the French Open due to dissatisfaction with the reduced prize money share, which they believe is unfair compared to other tournaments.
What percentage of revenue do players receive at the French Open?
Players at the French Open receive an alleged 14.3 percent of the revenue, which is significantly lower than the 22 percent at standard ATP and WTA events.
What did Amelie Mauresmo say about changing the prize money?
Amelie Mauresmo stated that there will be no changes to the prize money this year, although she remains open to discussions with players.
