Top players criticize French Open prize money and unresolved welfare demands

Top players including No. 1s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka expressed “their deep disappointment” at the French Open prize money on Monday.

The players, most of them from the top 10 in the ATP and WTA, added their other demands have not been addressed by officials from the four Grand Slam tournaments, including better representation, health and pensions.

French Open organizers announced last month they were increasing overall prize money by about 10% for an overall pot of 61.7 million euros ($72.1 million), with the total amount up 5.3 million euros from last year.

But the players' statement said “the underlying figures tell a very different story,” claiming they will receive a smaller share of tournament revenues.

“Players’ share of Roland Garros tournament revenue has declined from 15.5% in 2024 to 14.9% projected in 2026,” the players said.

“According to tournament officials, Roland Garros generated 395 million euros in revenue in 2025, a 14% year-on-year increase, yet prize money rose by just 5.4%, reducing players’ share of revenue to 14.3%.

"With estimated revenues of over 400 million euros for this year’s tournament, prize money as a percentage of revenue will likely still be less than 15%, far short of the 22% that players have requested to bring the Grand Slams into line with the ATP and WTA Combined 1000 events.”

French Open organizers did not immediately respond to a request for comments.

The Australian Open this year increased the players' compensation by 16%, and the U.S. Open prize money last year went up by 20%.

The same group of players sent a letter a year ago to the heads of the four Grand Slams seeking more prize money and a greater say in what they called “decisions that directly impact us.” However, the communications firm that released the statement on Monday said it was issued in the name of the original signatories to the initial letter, later adding that Novak Djokovic had not signed the new statement.

The players said they remain “united in their desire to see meaningful progress, both in terms of fair financial distribution and in how the sport is governed.”

They insisted they have not received any response to their proposals on welfare, including pension and long-term health, adding that no progress has been made “on fair and transparent player representation within Grand Slam decision-making.”

“While other major international sports are modernizing governance, aligning stakeholders, and building long-term value, the Grand Slams remain resistant to change. The absence of player consultation and the continued lack of investment in player welfare reflect a system that does not adequately represent the interests of those who are central to the sport’s success.”

Play begins on May 24 at Roland Garros.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus returns the ball to Hailey Baptiste of the U.S. during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Coco Gauff of the U.S. returns the ball to Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic during the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Monday, April 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Jannik Sinner, of Italy, returns the ball to Alexander Zverev, of Germany, during their men's singles tennis final match at the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian assets of German retailer Metro AG placed under temporary administration. The step comes against a background of tension between Germany and Russia over the war in Ukraine.

The order, posted Monday on the government website, did not state a reason. The step follows similar steps against the Russia businesses of global food company Nestle and French retailer Auchan under a 2023 decree aimed at businesses associated with “unfriendly countries.”

Temporary administration has led to local owners taking over the Russia businesses of French dairy concern Danone and Danish brewer Carlsberg at knockdown prices.

Metro said in a statement that although Metro Russia formally belonged to it, it had no further operational control over the business. The Kremlin order placed the assets under the administration of UK Torg Rus, described in the Metro news release as “a company of Metro Russia CEO Johannes Tholey.”

Metro said it had been reducing its connections to the Russia business since the 2022 Russian invasion. It said that “further consequences of the decree on Metro AG are currently being analyzed.” Metro has 9,000 employees in Russia.

Germany has concluded that Russia was responsible for an attempted drone attack at the Leipzig airport and closed a Russian consulate in Bonn and a Russian cultural center in Berlin. Russia in response closed the German consulate in St. Petersburg. Moscow denied the allegations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met his German counterpart Johann Wadephul on Saturday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly but was dismissive afterward, saying that Wadephul "simply reiterated his official public position condemning Russia... you can judge for yourself whether that counts as dialogue or not.”

“The Russians are raising the pressure on Germany in their hybrid war,” said Stefan Meister, a Russia expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations. “It's being made clear that the Germans could lose even more companies and assets in Russia, in order to raise pressure on the German government from the German business community."

Meister said that Russia sees Germany “as a key adversary since it is Ukraine's most important single supporter.”

Some major Western businesses ceased operating in Russia and wrote off their businesses after 2022. Since then the Kremlin has imposed burdensome conditions for disposing of local affiliates, demanding they be sold at a steep discount and subject to exit taxes and government approval. Other companies have scaled back their operations, while others continue to do business as usual.

FILE - The logo of Metro Cash&Carry is photographed in Duesseldorf, Germany, Wednesday March 30, 2016. (Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa via AP, file)