Top ATP, WTA players pen letter to Grand Slams seeking greater share of revenue

Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, Novak Djokovic and more of tennis’ top players are calling on the Grand Slams—the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open—to share a bigger slice of the revenue pie.

In a letter addressed to the four events’ organizers, 20 players ranked inside the ATP Top 10 and WTA Top 11 have reportedly joined forces to seek increased prize money, more financial support for player welfare programs and a say in “decisions that directly impact competition.”

What's the letter to the four Grand Slams about?

As first reported by L’Equipe, a letter asking for a major increase in revenue sharing was addressed to Craig Tiley of the Australian Open, Stephane Morel of the French Open, Sally Bolton of Wimbledon and Lew Sherr of the US Open.

“In essence, this letter calls for a greater distribution of profits made by the four pillars of the circuit to benefit the main stakeholders: the players, without whom the show would not take place,” writes L’Equipe’s Romain Lefebvre.

Speaking at a UTS event in Nimes, world No. 6 Casper Ruud said that while in “a fair world” the revenue split would be 50-50, “every percentage helps.”

I don't think we'll ever get there (50-50 revenue sharing). But if we can get closer, I think every percentage helps. Casper Ruud

"As a player, I don't feel like it's fair… If you compare with other major sports around the world, NFL, MLB, NBA, they are closer to 50 percent revenue sharing,” Ruud told the AFP.

"I don't think we'll ever get there. But if we can get closer, I think every percentage helps.”

The Associated Press, who obtained a copy of the letter on Thursday, reported that players are also calling on the Grand Slams to “make financial contributions to player welfare programs” funded by the ATP and WTA Tours, as well as for more say in decisions “directly impacting competition, as well as player health and welfare.”

Which ATP and WTA players have signed the letter?

According to the Associated Press, the letter was dated “March 21” and included 20 handwritten signatures from the men’s and women’s top players on the bottom of the page.

The women include Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Jasmine Paolini, Emma Navarro, Zheng Qinwen, Paula Badosa and Mirra Andreeva—making up 10 of the WTA’s Top 11, with only No. 10 Elena Rybakina’s name being absent.

The men include Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur—representing the full Top 10 player list from the March 3 rankings.

Speaking to journalist Ben Rothenberg in Charleston, world No. 8 Zheng Qinwen said she signed on after hearing of the effort from long term WTA Player Council member Victoria Azarenka.

“At the beginning I just thought it's tough to make it happen,” Zheng said. “But somehow, you know, they really did it. And then I spoke with my manager, and it seems like it's a positive benefit for all the tennis players…

“I believe—I really believe—when you are 100th in the world, you need to have a good team to be able to arrive in a higher place. So I think it's more benefit for those players as well.”

World No. 11 Emma Navarro echoed the sentiment: "I talked a little bit to the other players about it and felt like it was a good idea to sign.”

Is this letter related to, or different from, the PTPA lawsuit?

Less than two weeks ago, the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) filed legal action against several of the sport’s governing bodies—specifically the ATP, WTA, ITF and ITIA—whom they claim foster anti-competitive and abusive practices.

The four Grand Slams were notably left out of the PTPA’s antitrust lawsuit, which was met with mixed opinions from the players who were asked about the topic in Miami and Charleston.

Read More: Why did Novak Djokovic's players' association sue the groups that run tennis, and what do they want?

While the 150-plus page filing covers a variety of topics ranging from prize money to the ranking system, to drug tests, privacy rights and more, this letter raises one main issue: a greater share of the Grand Slam revenue.

The letter is not related to the PTPA’s filing, which lists 12 players as plaintiffs alongside the association itself. Those players include Nick Kyrgios, Zheng Saisai, Reilly Opelka, Anastasia Rodionova, but does not name any current or former members of the ATP and WTA’s Top 10.

Djokovic, who co-founded the PTPA in 2020, refrained from adding his name to the group’s legal action. The AP confirmed his name is listed alongside other top men’s players in the letter to the Slams.

The USTA is always available for and welcomes open and direct conversations with players, whether on site at the US Open or at any other point of the year. USTA statement

What has been the response from the Grand Slams to players?

The letter requests an in-person meeting at this month’s Madrid Open, which begins on April 22. To date, two of the four governing bodies which host the Grand Slams have confirmed they’ve received the letter and issued a response.

A “source within the French Tennis Federation (FFT)” told the AFP: "We responded by proposing a direct, open, and constructive meeting, starting at the Madrid Open (April 22 - May 4), at Roland Garros (May 25 - June 8), or at any other convenient time."

In a statement provided to the AP, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) also said the organization “welcomes” a conversation with players “at any… point of the year.”

“The USTA is always available for and welcomes open and direct conversations with players, whether on site at the US Open or at any other point of the year, as we are consistently looking for ways to enhance our event for the benefit of players and fans,” said spokesman Brendan McIntyre.”

“The USTA is incredibly proud of the US Open’s leadership in player compensation throughout its history and our support to grow professional tennis not only in the United States but worldwide. This includes offering equal prize money to men and women for more than 50 years and awarding the largest purse in tennis history at the 2024 US Open.”