'Come to the table' - stars pressure Grand Slams over prize money

World number 1 Aryna Sabalenka has asked nan Grand Slams to "come to nan table" arsenic nan starring stars ramp up nan unit complete their calls for accrued prize money and greater subordinate welfare.

Sabalenka is among nan apical 20 men's and women's players who person asked nan 4 fields - Wimbledon, nan Australian Open, nan French Open and nan US Open - for nan full section to person a larger stock of nan gross generated by tournaments.

The group of players besides want a committedness that meaningful alteration to nan building of nan tournaments and support provided by nan Slams - to protect their beingness and intelligence wellness - will beryllium implemented.

The Grand Slams insist they stay unfastened to constructive speech astir nan sport's future. They person besides powerfully defended what they already connection nan players successful position of prize money and state-of-the-art facilities.

"The Slams are nan apical of our sport. I would conscionable inquire that they travel to nan array to person a speech and spot if we tin find mutually beneficial solutions," Sabalenka told BBC Sport.

Sabalenka, who won her 4th awesome singles title astatine nan US Open past month, joins a increasing number of prima players who are speaking retired publically arsenic they look to unit change.

Fellow Grand Slam champions Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff person been among nan large names outlining their concerns.

After holding meetings pinch nan Grand Slams earlier this year, nan players fearfulness nan discussions person stalled and are disappointment by a belief they are not being listened to.

They person decided to use unit by being vocal publically and are consenting to see further steps of action.

The Grand Slams proceed to emphasise their belief that nan structural challenges facing nan athletics - a agelong play pinch fewer breaks and a short off-season - is simply a greater problem for nan players.

The players person sent individual proposals to each of nan 4 Grand Slams for nan changes they would for illustration to spot implemented.

There are 3 broads areas of concern:

Sinner told nan Guardian, external earlier this week he believes nan Grand Slams should make a "fair publication to support each players", pinch nan men's world number 1 wanting subordinate pensions and healthcare to beryllium addressed immediately.

Currently, nan Grand Slams do not lend to subordinate use programmes. The ATP Tour and WTA Tour stump up £60m betwixt them successful financial support and nan starring players would for illustration nan fields to make a akin contribution.

In an question and reply pinch nan Independent,, external American top-10 subordinate Ben Shelton highlighted nan disparity successful nan percent of gross to prize money betwixt tennis and different sports.

Representatives of nan players opportunity nan Grand Slam tournaments - which are nan pinnacle of nan athletics - paid betwixt 12.5% and 20% of their gross to nan players successful 2024.

However, Grand Slam insiders conflict those figures. The Australian Open, for example, is believed to cipher it offers 23% of its gross successful prize money.

In comparison, stars playing successful nan 4 awesome American sports leagues - NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB - are paid betwixt 40% and 50% of nan income their competitions generate.

While nan tennis stars understand squad sports are a wholly different model, they person asked each Grand Slam for a staged summation complete nan adjacent 5 years, yet starring person to nan 22% people which they person astatine immoderate of nan starring ATP and WTA mixed circuit events.

A subordinate consultation group astatine each Grand Slams - focusing specifically connected nan fields dissimilar nan existing circuit subordinate councils - has besides been suggested to nan tournaments.

"It has been a agelong clip since we had some nan ATP and WTA players activity together, successful bid to person much of a opportunity successful position of decision-making and contributions," three-time awesome finalist Casper Ruud said.

Dialogue betwixt nan group of players - who are represented by erstwhile WTA main Larry Scott - and nan Grand Slam powerbrokers began earlier this year.

In March, nan players signed a missive sent to nan 4 majors asking for a meeting. It came soon aft nan Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA) launched ineligible action against tennis' governing bodies, citing "anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for subordinate welfare".

Sabalenka was among six stars who met pinch leaders from each 4 Grand Slams astatine this year's French Open - joined by Jannik Sinner, Alex de Minaur, Casper Ruud, Coco Gauff and Madison Keys, arsenic good arsenic group representatives - to talk nan concerns.

That was followed up by individual meetings pinch each Slam astatine Wimbledon, wherever women's semi-finalist Belinda Bencic and men's world number 3 Alexander Zverev attended connected behalf of nan players.

"Those talks were constructive and we followed that up pinch proposals to really our 3 requests could beryllium resolved," Bencic told BBC Sport.

The players' group sent retired letters to each 4 Grand Slams individually to outline their proposals.

Replies were received from each of nan tournaments, pinch Wimbledon advising they would see nan suggestions.

According to 1 source, nan players are "infuriated" and consciousness nan Grand Slams are being dismissive of their concerns.

"It has been disappointing for america pinch nan responses that we received connected those proposals that addressed nan 3 cardinal topics that we are actively seeking improvements on," Bencic added.

As a result, they person decided to move up nan power by speaking retired publically and informing they are consenting to return further action, though nan quality of what that mightiness beryllium has not yet been discussed.

In their discussions pinch nan players, nan Grand Slams person been keen to underline really overmuch they lend to their careers successful position of remuneration, benefits and status.

Prize money has accrued astatine each 4 fields complete nan past fewer years.

Wimbledon, for example, offered £53.55m this twelvemonth - much than double nan magnitude successful 2014.

There has besides been greater distribution passim nan draws, pinch Wimbledon expanding first-round prize money by 128% complete nan past decade and 309% successful qualifying, arsenic good much for those competing successful nan doubles and wheelchair events.

"Our position continues to beryllium that we are ever unfastened to having constructive discussions to execute nan champion imaginable result for nan early occurrence of our athletics and for nan use of our players and fans," nan All England Club told BBC Sport.

"We person been successful regular speech pinch nan players and their representatives to perceive their feedback and these conversations will continue."

BBC Sport has besides approached nan Australian Open, nan French Open and nan US Open for comment.