Top Players Push for Change: Alcaraz Leads Charge for Better Pay
Tennis players, including Alcaraz, Sinner, and Gauff, send second letter to Grand Slam tournaments calling for fairer revenue share and benefits.
A group of top tennis players, including world number one Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff, and Aryna Sabalenka, have sent a second letter to the four Grand Slam tournaments, pushing for better pay and more influence in the sport.
What's Behind the Demand for Better Pay?
Top tennis players, led by world number one Carlos Alcaraz, are calling for a greater share of revenue from Grand Slam tournaments. They've sent a second letter to the four major tournaments - Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open - demanding more influence and better pay. Alcaraz described the current situation as “a mess” and emphasized that players want a fairer deal.
Key Demands
Increased Revenue Share: Players are pushing for a bigger cut of the revenue, aiming to increase their share from 16% to 22% by 2030.
Better Benefits: They're seeking contributions to pension, health, and maternity benefits, starting from zero to $12 million annually by 2030.
Greater Player Influence: A new player council would give athletes more say in how the sport's major tournaments are run.
The Players' Push
.The group, which includes top stars like Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff, and Aryna Sabalenka, has been working with Larry Scott, former WTA CEO, as a consultant to lobby the Grand Slams. Meetings have taken place between Scott, players, and officials from the four Grand Slam organizations to discuss the proposals.
Carlos Alcaraz expressed his concerns about the current state of tennis, stating that the situation is “a mess” and believes players deserve better treatment. “We are all tennis players and we are fighting to have something better for us,” Alcaraz said, emphasizing the need for improved conditions and fairness for players. This sentiment comes as Alcaraz navigates his own demanding schedule, recently overcoming an injury scare to win his Japan Open opener against Sebastian Baez with a score of 6-4, 6-2.
Alcaraz's words highlight the challenges faced by tennis players, both physically and professionally. Having recently won the US Open and reclaiming the world number one spot, Alcaraz's experience and perspective lend weight to his comments about the need for positive change in the sport.
“I think right now, it's a little bit a mess between everything, between the ATP (men's tour), between the Grand Slams.
“What we want, all the players, is to have everything together.”
This latest effort aims to increase player revenue share from 16% to 22% by 2030, introduce pension, health, and maternity benefits, and establish a new player council to give athletes a greater say in the governance of the sport.
The players are working with consultant Larry Scott, former WTA CEO, to lobby the Grand Slams. Meetings have taken place between Scott, players, and officials from the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open. The US Open responded to the letter, expressing willingness to increase player compensation, citing a 57% growth in prize money over the past five years.
Key Demands:
- Increased Revenue Share: 22% of Grand Slam revenue by 2030
- Pension, Health, and Maternity Benefits: $12 million annually by 2030
- Player Council: Greater player influence in sport governance
This push for change comes amid an antitrust lawsuit filed by the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA) against the ATP and WTA tours, with the four Grand Slam tournaments recently added as defendants.
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