Wimbledon faces player protest over prize money

LONDON — Wimbledon organizers said they were “surprised and disappointed” after leading tennis players signaled plans to continue a prize money protest at this year’s grass-court Grand Slam, despite a record increase in the tournament’s payout pool.

The All England Club this month announced a 20% year-on-year rise in total prize money to GBP 64.2 million, falling short of the GBP 70 million players had sought.

Players are pressing Grand Slam organizers to give them a larger share of tournament revenue, closer to the revenue split they receive at ATP and WTA events.

The dispute escalated during the French Open, where some players limited their pre-tournament media activity to 15 minutes.

“Wimbledon puts the players at the heart of all our decisions and we invest significantly in them every year,” the All England Club said in a statement Wednesday.

“This is alongside investing hundreds of millions of pounds in upgrades to our player facilities as part of a three-year transformation to create a world class player performance environment.”

Wimbledon’s record prize money pool represents around 15% of the tournament’s revenue, but the group of leading players represented by former WTA chief executive Larry Scott has pushed for a minimum of 16%.

Wimbledon chair Debbie Jevans said earlier this month that she discussed prize money with Scott at the French Open.

Jevans said Wimbledon differs from regular tour events because it distributes 90% of its surplus back into British tennis.

“Using revenue to determine prize money makes no sense and we have said that to Larry Scott,” she said this month. “Revenue does not take into account the investment that we give. We are not-for-profit, and very different to a Masters 1000.”

The tension comes as the Grand Slams face growing pressure from players seeking more influence over prize money, welfare support, and the structure of decision-making at the sport’s biggest events.

At Roland Garros, women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka cut short her pre-tournament press conference, while Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek were among those who limited their media time.

Players have also raised the prospect of a future boycott if their concerns are not addressed.

Saturday is the traditional pre-tournament media day at Wimbledon, where players are expected to limit their availability to 15 minutes.

According to reports, players are also planning to restrict post-match appearances to 15 minutes throughout the first week of the tournament.

The 15-minute limit is symbolic of the roughly 15% share of Wimbledon’s takings allocated to prize money.

The protest risks creating friction between players, organizers, broadcasters, and media partners during one of tennis’ most visible events.

For Wimbledon, the issue is not only the size of the prize fund but also how revenue is defined and distributed across the wider tennis ecosystem.

For players, the dispute reflects a broader push for a greater share of Grand Slam income at a time when the sport’s top events continue to generate significant commercial and broadcast revenue.