Wimbledon organisers are hopeful the tournament will avoid the sort of player protests seen at the French Open two weeks ago.
Amid an ongoing dispute between a group of leading players and the grand slam tournaments, most of the world’s top stars limited their pre-event media activities to 15 minutes each.
That symbolised what the players say is the approximately 15 per cent of revenue the French Open pays out in prize money – well short of the 22 per cent they believe the tournaments should be moving towards.
Wimbledon prize money for this year’s championships will be revealed at a press conference next Thursday, and rarely will there have been such scrutiny on the announcement.
Prize money at Roland Garros increased 9.5 per cent year on year but that compared unfavourably to a 20 per cent rise at last year’s US Open and 16 per cent at the Australian Open in January.
Last year, Wimbledon paid £53.5million in prize money, a seven per cent rise on 2024, but it only equated to less than 13 per cent of revenue.
To hit the 16 per cent demanded by the players for this year, Wimbledon would need to up prize money to around £70million.
That kind of rise appears unlikely in one go but the Press Association understands organisers are optimistic the players will be content enough with prize money levels to stave off any kind of protest.
Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton met the players’ representative Larry Scott in Paris on Monday to discuss prize money and the players’ other demands, which include contributions to welfare programmes and a greater say in decision making.
A Wimbledon spokesperson said: “We were pleased to have the opportunity to meet with the players’ representative at Roland Garros.
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“Our discussions about the arrangements for this year’s Championships were positive. We look forward to continuing these discussions in further detail after The Championships.”
Scott, who was formerly chairman and chief executive of the WTA, also had a meeting with US Open chiefs having received a promise from the French Open that there will be concrete proposals on the issues at hand within the next month.
The players are understood to have been emboldened by the impact their protest – which mainly targeted broadcasters, a key source of income for the slams – had, potentially making action at Wimbledon more likely.
The group of players, which includes world number ones Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner, first sent a letter to all the slams last spring, and they have become increasingly frustrated by what they deem as a lack of engagement and respect.
In Rome last month, Sabalenka raised the prospect of a boycott, although there is certainly not universal support for such action yet.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said they had been advised by lawyers not to engage with the players but had chosen to do so.
“The most important (thing) is to have this partnership with the players,” she said.
“In my opinion, because this communication is back for us, as far as we are concerned, I’m confident that things are going to move forward and that everyone will understand each other.
“There needs to be steps from both sides to make sure that this partnership is working.”
