Stan Wawrinka Makes Feelings Known on Players’ Higher Grand Slam Prize Money Share Demand

Players want a higher share of the prize money from the Grand Slam tournaments, plus other welfare benefits. ATP and the WTA currently pay the players 22% of the total revenue, but from Majors, they get around 15 percent.

And because of their demand, they threatened to boycott a Major in the future. In the recently concluded French Open, many top players cut short their press conferences to 15 minutes as a form of protest. But Stan Wawrinka, who will retire after this season, is not involved in the players’ fight for a higher revenue share.

I think the topic is a big topic; tennis is a big structure; it’s a tough structure between the Grand Slams, the ITF, the ATP, the WTA, so it’s difficult to really put everybody together and find something that is good for tennis and tennis in general… Everyone wants their own piece of the cake, I would say. And same for players, top 10 doesn’t need or want the same as the number 100 of the world. I think the topic was already there 20 years ago, and even before me.

Stan Wawrinka said on First & Red podcast

But the major problem, Stan the Man thinks, is not the prize money but the 11-month tennis schedule. He believes the overly packed schedule is the reason why so many top players are dealing with injury issues.

I think right now, tennis has a bigger problem with the scheduling. The young generation, there are a lot of injured players in the top 20 and the top 30, and I believe that the schedule is too packed, too complex, and too complicated. Forces the players to play almost every tournament.

Stan Wawrinka added

Jack Draper was forced to miss the remainder of the season after his US Open exit because of an arm injury. After making his comeback this year, he was forced to retire mid-match at the Barcelona Open, which saw him miss the remainder of the clay swing.

Lorenzo Musetti, because of a thigh injury, hasn’t competed since the Italian Open and will also miss Wimbledon. Seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz, too, hasn’t yet played since the Barcelona Open because of a wrist injury.

Stan Wawrinka calls the Rafael Nadal match at Roland Garros the toughest challenge

Rafael Nadal is considered the undisputed greatest of all time at Roland Garros, where, since making his debut in 2005, he has lifted a record 14 titles. After winning the title on his debut, Nadal won it in the next three years.

Following a fourth-round exit in 2009, the King of Clay completed a five-peat before losing in the quarterfinals in 2015 and in the third round the following year. Nadal then achieved the four-peat, following which he exited in the semifinals in 2021 and lifted his career’s last title on Court Philippe-Chatrier in 2022. It was also his final Grand Slam title.

Playing Nadal in the clay-court Major is considered one of the toughest challenges in tennis. Stan Wawrinka faced the 22-time Major champion twice in the Paris Major (in the final in 2017 and in the quarterfinals in 2013). And unsurprisingly, the Swiss veteran lost both.

The most difficult opponent was Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, especially in the fifth set. His career speaks for itself. Playing him in Paris, on clay, in those conditions, was the toughest challenge in tennis for me.

Stan Wawrinka said on the First & Red podcast

Wawrinka was last seen in action at the French Open. He suffered an opening-round exit with a four-set defeat to Jesper De Jong.

Also read: Jack Draper Reveals Andy Murray’s Guidance Through his Darkest Injury Months