“Deserve to be paid more,” Aryna Sabalenka backs players’ demand for better Grand Slam revenue distribution

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka is gearing up for the Stuttgart Open, where she has reached three finals, losing all.

“Deserve to be paid more,” Aryna Sabalenka backs players’ demand for better Grand Slam revenue distribution

Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

A few weeks ago, the top 20 players from both the ATP and WTA tour signed a letter to demand more prize money from the revenue generated from the Grand Slam tournaments. For some, getting a smaller percentage of the profit is “unfair“, while some expressed concerns about how the lower-ranked players struggle to make ends meet when not playing.

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka is in Stuttgart and ahead of her first-round match, she was asked about the letter. The Belarusian firmly backed the idea of more prize money and compared the profit percentage tennis players get with those in American sports.

YouTube video

I think we deserve a slightly higher percentage. And yes, I agree with that, because I think all of us, the top players, all players, bring the show. I think we deserve to be paid a little more.

Aryna Sabalenka said at the press conference

Novak Djokovic said the percentage should at least be close to the ATP events. Casper Ruud thinks getting less from the profit is unfair. Qinwen Zheng felt increasing the prize money will provide financial help to the lower-ranked players; while Iga Swiatek, although she backed the demand, chose not to say much about it when asked during the press conference ahead of her campaign in Stuttgart.

If we compare tennis to other sports, there is a big difference in the percentage we receive compared to the NHL or NBA and other sports. I think we are an individual sport, and we are… I can’t compare sports, so I don’t want to go that far, but I would definitely say that we deserve a higher percentage at the Grand Slams, in all tournaments.

Aryna Sabalenka added

The players approached the Grand Slam tournaments about a couple of weeks after the controversial lawsuit of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) against the tennis governing bodies. Founded by Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2020, the PTPA claimed the tennis bodies have to change their rules and regulations to take care of the players’ well-being.

Aryna Sabalenka reaches the Stuttgart Open quarterfinal without playing a match

Aryna Sabalenka, the first seed in Stuttgart, received a bye and was scheduled to lock horns with compatriot Anastasia Potapova on Thursday (April 17). But the 24-year-old, following her three-set victory over Clara Tauson, withdrew from the tournament.

Aryna Sabalenka Miami Open
Aryna Sabalenka (Image via Instagram @arynasabalenka)

It’s a bit awkward, but I was worried if everything was okay with her, so I sent her a message and found out how things were going. I said to her, ‘But what are you doing to me? I don’t play until Saturday.’ It’s a bit weird…we adjusted the training schedule a bit, and I guess that’s gym time for me.

Aryna Sabalenka said at the press conference

Sabalenka will bid for her first title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. She has made it to three finals but was never successful in beating her opponents. In 2021, she lost the title to Ash Barty, following which she succumbed to defeats against Iga Swiatek in 2022 and 2023. The Belarusian got knocked out of the quarterfinals last year.

So far in the season, Sabalenka has reached four finals, winning two. Following her Brisbane International victory, the 26-year-old fell short of a three-peat at the Australian Open.

In the two WTA 1000 finals in the United States then, the three-time Grand Slam singles champion was unsuccessful in beating Mirra Andreeva at Indian Wells; but in Miami, she finally laid her hands on a Sunshine Double singles title by outclassing home favorite Jessica Pegula. Last year on the clay swing, Sabalenka reached two back-to-back finals, in Madrid and Rome, losing both to Swiatek.