Paris: The French Open has become the first Grand Slam tournament to propose a revenue-sharing model for player prize money, marking a significant development in ongoing discussions over player compensation.
Tournament officials from Roland Garros presented the proposal to players’ representative Larry Scott during meetings held at Wimbledon two weeks ago.
Although no agreement has yet been finalised, the willingness to adopt a revenue-sharing approach distinguishes the French Open from the other three Grand Slam events and is expected to increase pressure on the US Open, which is due to announce its prize money for this year’s tournament early next month.
The proposal comes after comments by All England Club Chair Debbie Jevans, who last month said it made ‘no sense’ to link prize money directly to tournament revenues. Jevans remarks prompted players to consider a media boycott during the opening week of Wimbledon, although the planned protest was later withdrawn.
In contrast, the French Open has indicated it is prepared not only to explore a revenue-sharing system but also to contribute to player pensions and healthcare while giving players a greater voice in tournament governance.
Players are seeking a formal agreement requiring all four Grand Slam tournaments to allocate 16 percent of tournament revenue to prize money immediately, with that figure increasing to 22 percent by 2030.
While Grand Slam organisers have significantly increased prize money in recent years, players are pushing for a transparent revenue-based formula rather than relying on annual discretionary increases.
Attention has now shifted to the US Open, where organisers face growing pressure to respond. The tournament will be held under the leadership of new United States Tennis Association (USTA) Chief Executive Craig Tiley, adding further focus to the negotiations.
Several leading players, including men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, have warned they could skip the US Open’s mixed doubles competition, which takes place before the singles event at Flushing Meadows, if meaningful progress is not achieved.
Last year, the US Open increased its total prize fund by 20 percent, from $75 million to $90 million. A similar increase this year would push the total prize pool beyond $100 million for the first time.
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