Leading tennis players are set to escalate their prize money protests at Wimbledon, even after the tournament announced a significant increase in this year’s prize fund. Following actions taken at the recent French Open, players plan to further restrict media engagements during the upcoming Championships.

By George Hartwell · Senior Football Correspondent · 24.06.2026

By George Hartwell — 24 June 2026 — 3 min read

Leading tennis players are set to escalate their prize money protests at Wimbledon, even after the tournament announced a significant increase in this year’s prize fund. Following actions taken at the recent French Open, players plan to further restrict media engagements during the upcoming Championships.

At the French Open, some players limited their pre-tournament media availability to 15 minutes. For Wimbledon, this will extend to restricting post-match appearances to 15 minutes throughout the first week of the tournament, which begins on Monday. This 15-minute limit is intended to symbolise the 15% of revenue that Grand Slams generally allocate to prize money.

The decision to expand the protest was made after detailed consultations with players across both tours. Players such as Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek participated in similar ‘work to rule’ directives at the French Open, where Aryna Sabalenka also shortened her pre-tournament press conference. However, Novak Djokovic, a vocal advocate for players’ rights, did not join the action.

All England Club response and player demands

The All England Club (AELTC) has expressed surprise and disappointment regarding the players’ planned actions. The club stated that it prioritises players in its decisions and invests substantially in them annually, including hundreds of millions of pounds in facility upgrades to create a world-class performance environment.

Earlier this month, Wimbledon announced a 20% increase in its prize fund, bringing the total to £64.2m. This marks the largest annual increase in the event’s history. The singles champions are set to receive £3.6m each, while first-round losers will be paid £80,000. Players had initially welcomed this increase as a “genuine and significant step forward” and a “meaningful statement of intent.”

Despite the increase, the total prize fund remains approximately £7m short of the £71m figure players had been seeking. Player representatives noted that the current revenue share at Wimbledon stands at 14.4%, while they are pushing for 16% of tournament revenue from all Grand Slams this year.

Deborah Jevans, the AELTC chair, stated that the club does not view percentages as the sole metric for prize money, arguing that such a view, based purely on revenue, does not account for operational costs. She emphasised the need for a sustainable business model, citing investments in infrastructure and grass court tennis.

Ongoing discussions and future plans

Beyond prize money, players are also advocating for contributions to their benefit pool and a greater voice in how tournaments are managed. They claim to have received no “substantive response” from Wimbledon on these issues. The AELTC disputes this, stating it proposed talks on establishing a player council late last year to discuss benefits, an offer which players rejected.

Sources within the AELTC indicated that discussions regarding player concerns were anticipated after the Championships. The dispute also involves other organisations; the prize money increase at the French Open was 9.5%, and player representatives expect the French Tennis Federation to present proposals to bridge the gap during the Wimbledon fortnight.

Discussions are also planned with executives from the US Tennis Association as they finalise their prize money offer for the US Open, which is scheduled to begin on 30 August.

Grand Slam rules mandate that all main-draw players participate in “feature media opportunities” to promote engagement with the sport. Players can face fines of up to £50,000 for non-appearance, unless a valid reason is provided to governing bodies. Primary broadcast partners are likely to be most affected by the media restrictions.

The players’ representatives have committed to extending the protest from the pre-tournament media day on Saturday through the first week of the Championships.

Source: bbc.com

George Hartwell

Senior Football Correspondent

George Hartwell is the Senior Football Correspondent at News-GB.org, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with twelve years of reporting experience. He reported on West Country football before national coverage. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of the West of England and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Bristol, he watches grassroots football and writes a tactics column. “Tactics tell you more than any scoreline.”