“Tennis is broken. Behind the glamorous veneer that the defendants promote, players are trapped in an unfair system that exploits their talent,” Ahmad Nassar, PTPA’s director, mentioned last month as Novak Djokovic-led Professional Tennis Players Association filed a lawsuit against the ATP, WTA, ITIA, and ITF. The issue is regarding pay disparity. Earlier this month, the campaign took an even bigger dramatic turn. The French publication L’ÉQUIPE revealed that a joint letter—allegedly signed by the likes of Jannik Sinner, Novak Djoković, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and also Carlos Alcaraz—was sent to Grand Slams. The demand? A significant increase in the prize money. Days after Djokovic and Gauff’s take on the issue, Alcaraz has now shared his unfiltered perspective on the burning topic.

In an interaction with Marca, dated April 16, the Spaniard was asked whether “tennis is a well-paid sport.” 

“Tennis is a well-paid sport,” he began. “But it can always be improved because there is a percentage that can be increased for the circuit and the players.”

When asked regarding the letter itself, he simply said, “Yes, we agree.” Justifying the need for this initiative, he added, “Tennis is a well-paid sport, but the percentages have to be fair. If we put on a show so the fans can enjoy it and pay to see us, then the percentage has to be close to what we deserve. And that’s why we’ve come together.”

Take, for example, last year’s French Open event. It generated an estimated total revenue of $371.03 million. But guess what? The prize pool for players stood at just $58.70 million. In short, it was less than 16 percent of the event’s revenue. This proves why Alcaraz is not the only pro to raise voice over the current problem.

Even WTA star Emma Navarro, who signed the letter, thinks a significant increase in prize money is a necessity. “I talked a little bit to the other players about it and felt like it was a good idea to sign,” she said. Similarly, World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka said, “Something I would like to see is not only WTA players, but all of the players getting probably more percentage they’re making out of the tournaments, the Slams especially”.

Even 2024 WTA Finals champion Coco Gauff is on the same page. “If you want to compare it to other sports, then yes, but if you want to compare it to other things in life, I’m not going to sit here and complain. Obviously, for the women’s side of things making as many tournaments as we can equal to the men when it comes to prize money. There’s a whole other thing when it comes to visibility and things like that we can also improve on,” she said.

Meanwhile, several notable tennis figures also believe likewise. Take, for example, the former WTA legend Rennae Stubbs.

Rennae Stubbs underlines the Grand Slam problem in professional tennis

When the PTPA initially filed the lawsuit, Rennae Stubbs noted the lawsuit lacked focus. While it did mention the lack of higher salaries across events, there was no emphasis on the majors. Especially when it comes to the prize money involved. That’s what Stubbs thought to highlight.

In an episode of her podcast, dated March 25, the former Aussie icon said, “If you think about it, I’m going to talk about it in layman’s terms here. Basically, the winner of a Grand Slam is getting somewhere between $3 million and $4 million.” According to her, it’s not a big amount at all. It may seem lucrative at first “until you learn what the tournament is earning.”

She confessed that earning $4 million sounds amazing “but when you’re talking about the best players in the world playing seven matches, seven matches over more than two weeks now, every Grand Slam is going to 15 days. It’s like, if you think about a Novak Djokovic, let’s say back in the day, Roger Federer, Serena, the all-time greats. If they played seven nights of exhibitions, they would be making at least $7 million.”

For example, the 2024 US Open made over $500 million in total revenue. It included the ticket sales, sponsorships, and broadcasting. The prize pool for players was also raised to $75 million. Meaning the women’s and men’s singles champion received $3.6 million each. Sadly, the prize pool was just 15 percent of the Slam’s overall revenue amount.

Stubbs concluded, “So my whole thing is, when you think about that for a two-week event, the time that they’re giving out, the money that those Grand Slams are making, that is not enough money for them.”

What are your thoughts on the ongoing player-led campaign against Grand Slam organizers? Will the letter and PTPA’s lawsuit lead to a positive outcome? Let us know in the comments below.