Roland Garros breaks ranks with player revenue share offer
The French Open has become the first Grand Slam to offer tennis players a share of tournament revenue, a shift in the sport's business model that immediately increases pressure on the US Open to follow suit.
Roland Garros officials offered players a cut of tournament revenues during talks at Wimbledon a fortnight ago. While no final agreement has been signed, the commitment makes the French Open the first of the four major tournaments to adopt a revenue-share model for prize money.
The move represents a structural shift in how elite tennis is financed, setting a new benchmark that could redefine the economics of the sport. Players have long received annual prize money increases at the discretion of organisers, but they are now demanding a fixed formula. Through representative Larry Scott, they want an immediate guarantee of 16% of total revenue, rising to 22% by 2030.
Roland Garros is now deliberately positioning itself against its peers. Last month, All England Club chair Debbie Jevans said it made "no sense" to tie prize money to revenues, a stance that provoked a threatened player media boycott at Wimbledon. Although that protest was ultimately cancelled, the French proposal goes further than simply offering a percentage. It includes contributions to player pensions and healthcare, plus a greater voice in tournament operations.
The immediate commercial impact falls on the US Open, which must announce its prize fund at the start of next month. The timing is sensitive, coinciding with the arrival of Craig Tiley as the new chief executive of the US Tennis Association. With the French Open breaking ranks, players feel the American tournament has had ample time to reach a deal.
The financial stakes are rising rapidly. Last year, the US Open increased its prize pool by 20% to $90m, up from $75m the previous year. A comparable increase this year would push the total purse past $100m for the first time.
Top players are preparing to leverage that growth to force a permanent structural change. Men's world number one Jannik Sinner is among those threatening to withdraw from the US Open's mixed doubles event if meaningful progress is not made.
