By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Just under two weeks after Novak Djokovic’s Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) filed a legal action against tennis’s primary governing bodies, the top players from both the ATP and WTA tours have decided to support the cause.
According to a report from the French sports magazine L’Équipe, the top 20 players from both tours have come together to sign a letter demanding a larger share of revenues from the four Grand Slam tournaments.
The players are seeking a significant boost in prize money, highlighting that they currently receive a much smaller slice of the pie compared to other sports leagues like the NBA, where revenue sharing is reportedly around 50%.
For instance, L’Équipe mentions that at last year’s Roland-Garros, tennis players earned about 16% of the total revenues in prize money.
“INFO L’ÉQUIPE: Representatives of the ATP and WTA top 20 have co-signed and sent a letter to the four Grand Slam tournaments demanding a substantial increase in their prize pool. Following the legal actions by the PTPA, tensions are rising even further.” — Quentin Moynet (@QuentinMoynet) April 2, 2025
Zheng Qinwen, who is among the signatories, voiced her support while in Charleston today, explaining, “This move will benefit all players, not just those at the top. There are players who grind all year, relying on the Slam payouts to make a living and support their teams.”
Reflecting on comparisons to basketball, she added, “Basketball players enjoy a 50/50 revenue split. We discussed this with my manager, and it’s a positive step for tennis players. Even if you’re ranked No. 100, having a solid team can help you climb higher, so it’s beneficial overall.”
When asked if she believed the Grand Slam organizers would heed their demands, Zheng expressed, “I’m not sure, but we’re doing what we can, and we’ll see how things unfold. At least we’re making an effort.”
