The world’s leading tennis players have agreed a truce in their long-running battle with the grand slam tournaments over prize money, welfare and player consultation. In a statement released after the men’s US Open final on Sunday the players announced they would stop their 18-month campaign of agitating against the grand slam tournaments, which culminated in a media boycott at the French Open this year, a plan first revealed in May. A similar boycott planned for Wimbledon was called off after the All England Lawn Tennis Club made concessions.
Jannik Sinner and the US Open finalist Aryna Sabalenka were the most vocal of the players lobbying on behalf of the locker room, with Carlos Alcaraz last month withdrawing from the campaign. The players have been calling for a greater share of the tournament revenues from the four major tournaments to be paid in prize money, a contribution from the grand slam events to player welfare and pension provision, and a formal role in decision-making through the creation of a player council. It was revealed in August all four tournaments had agreed to create a grand slam player advisory council, a move which appears to have been crucial in bringing players back into the fold.
The players involved in the campaign will be making no further public comment as a unified group on these issues at this time. While prize money has increased significantly it remains at about 15% across all the slams and the French Open is the only grand slam tournament to indicate it will introduce a revenue-sharing formula. The players look to the council to build on this progress and continue pursuing the aims not yet fully achieved.”
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