Sinner Warns of French Open Boycott Over Prize Money

World number one tennis player Jannik Sinner said players may boycott the French Open if prize money is not increased.

The potential walkout threatens the stability of one of the four major Grand Slam tournaments. A boycott by top-seeded athletes would diminish the commercial value of the event and highlight growing tensions between professional players and tournament organizers regarding financial equity.

The dispute centers on a total prize-money disagreement valued at $72 million ^[1]. Sinner, along with other prominent players including Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, has voiced concerns that the current financial offerings at Roland Garros are insufficient.

Sinner said that the lack of progress in negotiations is a sign of disrespect toward the athletes. He said that the players do not feel valued by the organization managing the Paris-based tournament.

"It's not nice that after one year we are not even close to conclusion of what we would like to have," Sinner said.

Reports regarding the certainty of a boycott vary. Some sources indicate that players have explicitly threatened to skip the event to force a raise in pay ^[2]. However, other reports suggest Sinner found it "tough to say" whether he would personally boycott a Grand Slam over financial disputes ^[3].

Despite the conflicting accounts of the boycott's certainty, the underlying grievance remains the same. Players argue that the prize money must reflect the global scale and revenue of the modern game, a standard they believe is not being met in France.