The French Tennis Federation (FFT) has promised to make concrete proposals about increased prize money, player welfare and representation within the next month in talks with leading agents at the French Open.
The discussions took place on Friday, the same day many players, including the world No 1s, Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, collectively decided to limit their pre-tournament media briefings to 15 minutes in protest at what they regard as insufficient prize money paid by the four grand slams.
The players chose to conduct only their mandatory duties, a press conference and an interview with the host broadcaster, rather than the 60 to 90 minutes they usually devote to interviews, photoshoots and other media activities.
The slams allocate about 15% of their tournament revenues in prize money and the players are demanding that be increased to 22%, to match the percentage paid by the ATP and WTA Tours.
The players are understood to have been heartened by Friday’s meeting, which included three representatives of the FFT, the players’ representative, Larry Scott, and a group of player agents. Sources involved described as positive talks as vindicating their media boycott. One said one day of direct action had achieved more than a year of discussions behind the scenes.
The FFT has promised to return with detailed proposals within a fortnight of the finals at Roland Garros, with the players adamant an increase in prize money must take place alongside discussions over welfare and player representation.
Amélie Mauresmo, the Roland Garros tournament director and former world No 1, on Thursday defended the FFT’s decisions regarding this year’s prize money and their financial contributions to players. “We have a model that is very different from what is on the Tours, be it the ATP Tours or the WTA,” she said. “Even a different model from the other grand slams.
“We put in place everything we can also in the interest of the players. We are also [improving] our infrastructure, we have prize money that has increased well, doubled in 10 years, and then also increased well in recent times, not only towards the top players, but also towards those who are more qualifiers and the first rounds of the table.”
The All England Club has offered to set up a player council at Wimbledon to give the players a say in the operating of the tournament, but they do not regard that as sufficient. Further meetings with the All England Club and the United States Tennis Association will take place in Paris next week, with the players keeping their options open for protests at Wimbledon, which begins on 29 June.
Tennis Australia is not involved in the discussions as in a separate dispute the body has sided with the Professional Tennis Players Association, the players’ union, in its legal case against the three other slams.
