French Open: Players accuse Slams of ignoring concerns as tensions rise

A revenue-sharing and governance dispute between players and the Grand Slams intensified at the French Open in Paris. Novak Djokovic warned that the sport could face further fragmentation if leading players did not gain a greater voice in shaping its future. Players planned to restrict Friday’s pre-tournament media day to 15 minutes and avoid additional multi-media interviews as a boycott limited to media duties. Players said the issues were not only about money, but also fairness, pensions, tournament expansion, scheduling, late-night finishes, and a persistent lack of dialogue from organisers. Andrey Rublev described years of unreturned communication and a structural disconnect. Aryna Sabalenka framed the fight as support for lower-ranked players while still feeling responsible to stand up.

"Several players were expected to limit their appearances at Friday's traditional pre-tournament media day to 15 minutes, and to not conduct any additional multi-media interviews. The tensions have been building for weeks, but the rhetoric sharpened in Paris, where players, such as Taylor Fritz, insisted that their grievances were not just about wanting more money. It's about just wanting what's fair, the American added. As the tournaments make more money, we obviously want to see the revenue shared back to the players reflect that."

"Players have pointed to pensions, tournament expansion, scheduling and late-night finishes among the issues fuelling frustration, alongside what several described as a persistent lack of dialogue from organisers. Russian Andrey Rublev painted a picture of a widening disconnect between players and the sport's leadership. When you try to communicate for so many years they don't hear you. They don't answer, Rublev said. When you send the mail in, no one responds to official mail for months."

"Rublev said the issue was not simply financial, but structural. It's more about are we together, and we try to do something together to grow the sport, he said. World number one Aryna Sabalenka cast the debate as a struggle on behalf of the sport's lesser lights rather than its leading stars. It's not about me. It's about the players who's lower in the ranking, who is suffering, she said. But as the world number one, I feel like I have to stand up and to fight for those players."

"Novak Djokovic warning the sport risked further fragmentation as leading players pressed for a greater voice in shaping its future. A simmering dispute between players and the Grand Slams over revenue sharing intensified at the French Open, with Novak Djokovic warning the sport risked further fragmentation as leading players pressed for a greater voice in shaping its future. Several players were expected to limit their appearances at Friday's traditional pre-tournament media day to 15 minutes, and to not conduct any additional multi-media interviews."

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