- May 5, 2026
Aryna Sabalenka Warns Grand Slam Boycott Possible Over Prize Money Row
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Aryna Sabalenka warns players may boycott Grand Slams over prize money, as top stars push for higher revenue share.
Aryna Sabalenka celebrates a point during her match against Hailey Baptiste at the Madrid Open (Picture credit: AP)
Four-time Grand Slam champion Aryna Sabalenka has said that if the prize money dispute continues in the Majors, at some point, players will be forced to boycott them, adding that only such a move can help them fight for their rights.
The top-10 players in both the men’s and women’s game are pushing for a larger share of revenue from the four majors, along with improved benefits and a stronger voice in key decisions such as scheduling.
But until Sabalenka addressed the media in Rome ahead of the Italian Open, players had remained cautious when discussing the possibility of strike action.
“I think at some point we will boycott it. I feel like that is going to be the only way to kind of fight for our rights. I feel like the show is on us. I feel like without us, there would not be a tournament and there would not be that entertainment,” Sabalenka said.
World No. 3 Iga Świątek backed calls for higher prize money but described a boycott as ‘a bit extreme’, while No. 2 Elena Rybakina said that she would follow the majority view.
On Monday, multiple leading players voiced their ‘deep disappointment’ over the prize money on offer at this year’s French Open.
“I just really hope that we, at some point, are going to get to the right decision, to the conclusion that everyone will be happy with. I feel like nowadays, we girls can easily get together and go for this because some of the things I feel like it is really unfair to the players,” Sabalenka said.
The prize pool at last year’s US Open increased by 20%, while the total for January’s Australian Open was up by almost 16%.
Wimbledon will announce its prize money in June.
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