The top players on both the ATP and WTA are still lobbying for increased prize money, and Wimbledon is seemingly not safe from their protests.
Roland Garros provided the site for what seemed like the birth of this issue, with Aryna Sabalenka threatening to boycott the entire event as a drastic measure under consideration.
However, in the end, she and her fellow superstars instead settled on a 15-minute walk-out from media duties, representing the 15% of revenue that the majors put towards prize money.
Whilst this sparked conversation, it did little to move the needle. If they are truly serious about enacting change, they will have to do more.
That does not seem forthcoming at Wimbledon though, with their latest plans now revealed.
What the top players are planning to do at Wimbledon to protest the prize money
As reported by Sky Sports, the sport’s leading players are once again planning to protest prize fund allocations at Wimbledon, despite Wimbledon actually announcing record prize money just a few weeks ago.
For the 2026 event, prize money has seen a sharp 20% upturn, but this is seemingly still not enough.
Who is your pick for the Wimbledon Men’s Singles title? 🏆
Predict your champion now!
Fortunately, the scale of their protest is expected to be quite moderate once again, with another 15-minute walk-out planned on Wimbledon’s media day.
A spokesperson for the All England Club said: “We are surprised and disappointed by this action.
“Wimbledon puts the players at the heart of all our decisions, and we invest significantly in them every year.”
The players are arguing that just 14.4% of Wimbledon revenue is being used for prize money, where they would rather that figure sit at 16% in the interim before eventually reaching 22%.
However, if they have genuine ambitions of forcing change, these top players need to start taking risks.
The top players need to take risks to actually force the Grand Slams to change
The greatest pioneers in sporting history, who shaped what we enjoy today, were risk-takers.
Billie Jean King stands out as the shining example, who is widely seen as the spearhead behind the Women’s Tennis Association we see today, splitting from the normal tour and in doing so risking banishment.
In the end, they got the equality they so richly deserved, all because she and the rest of the ‘Original 9’ were willing to take risks.
If the current generation of players actually wants to force this prize money change, they too might need to start applying more pressure with more serious measures, the likes of which might actually impact their careers.
If you were in charge of tennis, what is the first rule you would change?
Threats of a boycott are serious, but unless the majority of the world’s top 30 were willing to partake on both the men’s and women’s side, it’d be pointless.
They need unity, and they need to actually put their careers on the line to force the Grand Slams to give in to their demands.
If they keep playing it safe with 15-minute walk-outs and similarly inoffensive measures, the majors can continue to operate as they do without any risk of their commodity being damaged.
