Top tennis players are continuing their prize-money protest at Wimbledon by limiting media access, including 15-minute post-match appearances during the first week. Their central demand is for Grand Slam tournaments to commit a larger share of revenue to prize money and player benefits.
Wimbledon has raised its prize fund by 20% to £64.2m, with singles champions set to receive £3.6m and first-round losers £80,000. But the players’ target is a 16% share of tournament revenue this year, rising to 22% by 2030, and the reported Wimbledon total remains about £7m below that benchmark.
The dispute is not only about headline prize cheques. Players are also seeking stronger contributions to pension, healthcare and maternity funds, plus more influence over scheduling issues such as late finishes and longer tournament formats.
The protest follows a similar approach at the French Open, where some leading players kept media duties to around 15 minutes without being penalised after meeting core obligations. For editors and fans, the key tension is whether the players’ case for a larger revenue share outweighs the Grand Slams’ argument that major costs, facilities and wider tennis investment must also be funded.
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