Sabalenka and Sinner lead French Open media protest over prize money

A group of leading tennis players, including world number ones Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner, staged a coordinated protest on Friday by limiting their media duties ahead of the French Open. The action, involving approximately 20 top-ranked competitors, was a public demonstration of their ongoing dispute with Grand Slam tournaments over prize money distribution and player welfare.

The players restricted their mandatory pre-tournament media activities to a total of 15 minutes, comprising a 10-minute press conference and a five-minute interview with the host broadcaster. They declined to participate in additional television, radio, or social media engagements for the event. Organizers of the protest stated the 15-minute limit was symbolic, representing the roughly 15 percent of tournament revenue they say is currently allocated to prize money by the French Open, far short of their stated goal of 22 percent.

The group’s demands, communicated in a letter to all four Grand Slams last spring and a follow-up statement this month, also call for increased investment in player welfare programs—including pension contributions—and for formal player representation at the decision-making...