Iga Swiatek wants to see players meet with Roland Garros amid prize money disputes.
While Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff both said they would boycott Grand Slams for a fairer share of revenue, Swiatek wasn’t willing to go quite that far.
Is a French Open boycott realistic?
Players aren't happy with the prize money on offer…
“Boycotting the tournament, it’s a bit of an extreme situation. Hopefully, before Roland Garros, there’s going to be an opportunity to have these types of meetings, and we’ll see how they go,” said Swiatek.
Former world number one Kim Clijsters has now delivered her verdict on Swiatek’s comments and the prize money debate.
Kim Clijsters shares how she would approach the Grand Slam prize money dispute
During the latest episode of ‘Love All‘, Clijsters said the following.
“It is not a new topic. I feel like years ago, when I was a youngster growing up with Venus [Williams] and Serena [Williams] as role models, when it came to equal pay for women. I know Venus was in the meeting rooms at Grand Slams and talking to tournament directors, proving a point of why we deserve to be paid equally. She succeeded,” said Clijsters.
“The word boycott was being thrown out at times as well.
“I think where Iga [Swiatek] stands with her comments was that ‘okay, maybe boycotting right now seems a little extreme, but let’s keep negotiating and then if nothing happens let’s see’.
“I think the approach I would take is, let’s have these top players sit in the meeting rooms and see what the challenges are.
“Why is the French Open approaching it this way now this year?
“What are the real reasons? Not the ones we might get on a post.
“Although it’s the same sport I don’t think we can compare all four Grand Slams because there is different incomes and quantities of everything and of how they budget their prize money and the taxes.
“I don’t know enough about all those differences.”
Clijsters continued, naming the players who need to act if change is to be made.
“It’s not for the [Jannik] Sinner’s and [Aryna] Sabalenka’s, but it’s the general pool of players who deserve to be treated in a different way,” she said.
“They deserve to make more money so they can actually play tennis the right way and get to travel with a coach and not worry about making decisions on having to share a hotel with a player.
“I think tennis has a long way to go, and it has to start at the top.
“The support has to come from the Novak Djokovic’s and the Sabalenka’s.
“Those are the players who can make a difference and have an impact and get the ball rolling.
“It is an ongoing story that we have talked about for a very long time, and it’s nice to see that there are certain players who are now saying we have to push through with this and not give up.”
As Clijsters rightly explained, an increase in prize money is not necessary for the top players, but rather for those struggling to make ends meet on tour.
Only 446 women have earned over $10,000 on the WTA Tour this year.
2026 Prize money list by position
- 1st – $4,055,262
- 100th – $226,163
- 250th – $47,074
- 500th – $8,042
- 1000th – $1,416
- 2000th – $111
Those numbers are shocking compared to other sports, highlighting why something must change.
Increased revenue share should trickle down to the lower-ranked players on tour, providing them with more prize money to pay for accommodation, travel, and a quality coaching team.
Whether the Grand Slams will be willing to sacrifice profits for that to happen remains to be seen.
Elena Rybakina weighs in on the boycott debate
Sabalenka, Swiatek, and Gauff weren’t the only players asked about the potential boycott on media day at the Italian Open.
World number two Elena Rybakina was asked the following question.
“Do you think you yourself would do that [boycott] or can you see the players boycotting a Slam to get what they want?” a reporter asked.
“Well, it’s a tough question because we had so many things in the past where players could come together and boycott, but it never happened,” she said.
“I honestly don’t know.
“If the majority says we are boycotting, we are not playing, then of course I’m up for it. It’s not an issue.
“I feel like the improvement we need to have is not only at the Grand Slams, and it’s not only about raising the prize money. A lot of people are not aware that there are taxes which are big. You even make more prize money, but you give it all to the taxes. It’s a different topic.
“It’s tough to say about boycotting. As I said, for many years we had different issues. For now, not once have players really come together and made any changes.”
Only time will tell if the players will boycott a Grand Slam this year, but it doesn’t look like this story is going away…
