LONDON — Wimbledon’s prime tennis gamers plan to broaden their protest over prize cash by proscribing media appearances at subsequent week’s grass-court Grand Slam match.
The choice means gamers will solely communicate to the media for quarter-hour after every match throughout the first week of the match.
The protests started at this yr’s French Open, the place gamers complained that the entire prize cash solely accounted for 14.3% of the clay court docket match’s income.
Wimbledon responded this yr by growing the prize pool by 20 per cent, with singles winners taking house £3.6 million every.
Nevertheless, a press release launched on Wednesday by the advisory agency representing the gamers mentioned “direct motion protests” would proceed for the primary week on the All England Membership.
“Reflecting the truth that Wimbledon at present pays gamers just below 15% of their income in prize cash, gamers can be restricted to contractual media appearances of quarter-hour throughout the first week of the Championships,” it mentioned in a press release. “Following detailed session with gamers throughout each excursions, participant representatives have written to Wimbledon’s management to tell them of the deliberate actions and welcome the latest 20% enhance in prize cash in comparison with final yr’s Championships.”
Gamers will account for 14.4% of Wimbledon’s anticipated income this yr, which is decrease than the 14.9% share they acquired 10 years in the past, the assertion mentioned.
The gamers wrote a proposal final yr asking for 16% of the income.
The assertion didn’t specify which gamers would participate within the protests.
At Roland Garros, prime ladies’s rankings Arina Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek restricted their media appearances, whereas prime 10 males’s rankings Jannik Sinner had been additionally within the prime 10. Nevertheless, Novak Djokovic didn’t participate within the protest.
When saying a 20% enhance in Wimbledon prize cash two weeks in the past, All England Membership chairman Deborah Jevans mentioned she hoped it will fulfill gamers.
“I confirmed that I’ve thought of each spherical, together with qualifying,” Jevans mentioned on the time. “My hope is that the gamers notice what a big enhance that is.”
