Even though Wimbledon has already announced a record rise in prize money ahead of the 2026 event, several leading Tennis figures agreed to widen their protest during this yearโs Championships. As part of their protest, players from both the ATP and WTA tours are preparing to reduce their media commitments throughout the opening week of the event, which begins on Monday in London.ย
Meanwhile, the move follows similar action taken during the French Open, where several top-ranked stars shortened their press appearances before the tournament. Under the latest plan, competitors will limit interviews during Wimbledonโs media weekend and restrict post-match press conferences to 15 minutes during the first seven days of competition. The symbolic figure reflects the share of Grand Slam revenue that players believe is currently directed toward prize money distribution.
Representatives involved in discussions with players said the decision came โfollowing detailed consultation with players across both toursโ.
Sabalenka, Sinner Swiatek protested during French Open
During Roland Garros earlier this year, womenโs world number one Aryna Sabalenka ended her media session early, while Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek also participated in the coordinated action. Novak Djokovic, however, did not join the protest despite previously speaking publicly about player representation and financial issues within the sport.
As things stand, the dispute continues even after Wimbledon unveiled a 20% increase in total prize money for 2025, raising the overall fund to ยฃ64.2 million, which is the largest single-year rise in the tournamentโs history. Singles champions are due to receive ยฃ3.6 million each, while players eliminated in the first round will earn ยฃ80,000.
Player representatives welcomed the increase earlier this month, calling it a โgenuine and significant step forwardโ and describing the decision as a โmeaningful statement of intentโ. However, they maintain the revised figures still fall short of the 16% share of tournament revenue they are seeking from all four Grand Slams.
More demands from players
Beyond prize money demands, players are also pushing for contributions to benefit programs and a stronger role in tournament governance. Representatives for the players argue they have not received โa substantive responseโ from Wimbledon regarding those issues.
The All England Club disputes that position, saying players were approached earlier this year about creating a player council that could later discuss benefits, but the proposal was rejected.
The disagreement extends beyond Wimbledon. Organisers at the French Open increased prize money by 9.5% this season, while further talks involving the US Tennis Association are expected before the US Open begins on 30 August.
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