Wimbledon players halt prize‑money protest after constructive talks

World‑number‑one Jannik Sinner, world‑number‑one Aryna Sabalenka and other top players had limited their pre‑tournament press conferences to 15 minutes as part of a protest over Grand Slam prize‑money distribution. They argue that the current payouts represent only about 15 % of tournament revenue, while they are seeking a share of 22 %.

Wimbledon announced a record 20 % increase in total prize money, raising the purse to £64.2 million, but this remains below the players’ demand of at least 16 % of revenues. After a weekend of “constructive meetings” with the All England Club, the players issued a statement saying they will resume normal media duties from Monday. The statement noted that “the underlying matters remain unresolved and players will carefully evaluate the proposals once received,” and that dialogue with Wimbledon and the other Grand Slams will continue.

The protest, which began at the French Open, is therefore on hold for the opening week of Wimbledon, although the players stress that the core issues of revenue share, player welfare and a greater say in decision‑making are still being negotiated.