Jannik Sinner is one of a number of players to call out the current share of tournament revenue players receive at Grand Slams.
Sinner claimed he felt disrespected by Grand Slams, as players receive only 15% of tournament revenue in prize money.
The world number one was also part of the media protest at Roland Garros, which most top players other than Novak Djokovic were a part of.
Opinions have been divided on this topic, and now six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker has revealed the critique he has for players’ recent protests.
Boris Becker criticises organisation of player protests at Roland Garros
Becker has stated that while he completely understands the reason why players are protesting the current share of prize money, he questions the organisation of players in doing so.
“I think the players have a point,” Becker told TNT Sports. “They were invited to have a discussion with the Grand Slams and there was a lack of response.
“It is their right to earn more money because the cake is so big. In the NBA, there is a 50-50 share between owners and players, whereas in tennis it’s around 15 percent. The players are asking for around 20 to 22 percent, which I think is reasonable.
“The problem is organisation – there isn’t a common agenda among players. When we founded the ATP Tour, we stuck together, we had a leader, and we supported him [Mats Wilander].
“Today in the top 10, I don’t think they all stick together, and that’s why such protests are not effective. But overall, they have merit, tennis is one of the most successful global sports and players have a right to earn more.”
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John McEnroe claims the current Grand Slam prize money is ‘a joke’
John McEnroe has also given his verdict on the current prize money players receive, which he has called ‘a joke’.
The American explained that this is an issue that has been spoken about by players since when he was competing.
“I’ve been talking about this since the 1970s,” said McEnroe. “Back then, the top players were criticised for wanting a fairer share of revenue. Now the money in sports has exploded, but tennis players still get a tiny percentage compared to other sports.
“It’s a joke that players get around 14–15% of Slam revenue — split between men and women. It’s unfair. Players should be partners with the majors.
“Honestly, the only way to force real change would be to boycott one or two Slams. Otherwise they’ll just bump it 1–2% and call it progress. Both top players and lower‑ranked players deserve better.”
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Chris Evert also backed the players’ stance on this issue, but agreed with Becker that they need to be unified in their position.
“I think the conversation is just starting, but I agree with the players,” added Evert. “I think they feel that the Grand Slam tournaments and those countries are making a lot of money and throwing it back into their development.
“I think the nice thing is that they’re looking at the middle and lower-ranked players besides themselves. They’re focusing more on are there going to be health plans, are there going to be more prize money for the number 100 player, the number 150 player, for them to afford to get a coach and afford to travel because it’s so expensive.
“I think there needs to be open communication and the problem is the Grand Slams are their own entity. Everybody needs to get into a room — the ITF, all the Grand Slams, the players, WTA, ATP — everybody needs to get in a room to discuss.
“This is a huge issue and the players are in a powerful position to make those demands. So yes, I agree with them and kudos to them. The most important thing is that everybody’s unified. All the players feel the same way. Then they have a good case if they’re unified.”
