French Open Players' Dispute Forces Emergency Revenue Talks in Paris

PARIS: Organisers of the French Open 2026 and representatives of leading tennis players have held discussions over an ongoing French open players' dispute involving prize money distribution and governance, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) said on Saturday.

The meeting took place in Paris on Friday, shortly after media day activities at Roland Garros, with FFT officials including tournament director Amelie Mauresmo in attendance. The talks come as a group of top ATP and WTA players continue coordinated actions under a wider tennis dispute concerning Grand Slam revenue sharing.

The FFT described the exchange as constructive, stating that both sides had agreed to continue discussions in the coming weeks as negotiations remain open.

“[The meeting] has allowed the FFT and the players’ representatives to engage in a positive and transparent exchange on a number of issues,” the federation said in a press release on Saturday.

“As these discussions require more time, all parties have agreed to continue the dialogue and to meet again in the coming weeks.”

A source close to the discussions said the FFT has agreed to negotiate directly with player representatives, including agents working on behalf of top-ranked players such as Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka. The source added that the federation is expected to respond to player proposals in the coming weeks.

Revenue Share Demands at the Centre of Talks

Since March 2025, around 20 leading players have been seeking a higher share of revenue generated at Grand Slam tournaments. The group is pushing for a 22 percent share by 2030, compared with the current figure of approximately 15 percent.

Players involved have also limited media engagements during the Roland Garros build-up, restricting appearances to short interview windows across pre-tournament press sessions.

Further meetings involving representatives of Wimbledon and the US Open are scheduled later during the French Open fortnight. However, no talks have been planned with Australian Open organisers at this stage.

Alongside financial demands, players are also seeking greater involvement in decisions related to the four Grand Slam events, as well as improved welfare provisions including healthcare, maternity support, and pensions.

Mauresmo said earlier this week that there would be no immediate change to French Open prize money for the current edition of the tournament.