In March last year, Coco Gauff joined 20 top players in signing a signed letter making major demands to the bosses of the four Grand Slam tournaments. These include the following topics:
Grand Slam tournaments provide financial contributions to player welfare programs funded by the ATP and WTA.
Prize money should be increased to a more reasonable proportion of tournament revenue, based on a player’s contribution to the overall value of a Grand Slam.
Players should have more say in decisions that “directly impact competition and player health and welfare.”
These women include: Aryna Sabalenka, Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Jasmine Paolini, Emma Navarro, Zheng Qingwen, Paula Badosa and Mirra Andreeva. These are Yannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Casper Rudd, Daniil Medvedev, Andrei Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex De Minaur.
They met in Paris in the spring and sent a follow-up letter last summer.
Last October, Gough said: “I personally think, for the long-term growth of our sport, the whole ecosystem, I think it’s very important.
Months later, Americans say the problem is far from resolved.
Gough said her team appreciated the increase in prize money, which happens regularly at every Grand Slam, but she urged players to still receive a lower percentage of their overall earnings than expected.
“From what I understand, their prize money has increased significantly this year,” Goff told reporters. “The percentage is still not where we want it to be compared to revenue.
“I think there needs to be further conversations, not just with the Australian Open but with all the Grand Slams. Our player representatives have been trying to do a lot for us because we can’t do that in person very often.
But yes, I think the collective feeling from my last update is that, yes, there has been progress, but I still don’t think it’s what we wanted to see. We are grateful for the progress that has been made.
Last year, Goff attended a player meeting with Grand Slam team chiefs at the French Open in Paris.
I imagine there will be more meetings. I think Roland Garros is like a big conference, at least I attended it and I saw a lot of players attending it.
But yeah, I don’t think anyone wants this conversation to continue for years. So I think we’ll continue to have those conversations and probably put more pressure on it, especially in the top ten.
“I think there will be more meetings,” Gough told reporters in Melbourne. “I think Roland Garros is like a big conference, at least I attended it and I saw a lot of players attending it.
“I don’t think anyone wants this conversation to continue for years. So I think we’ll continue to have these conversations and probably put more pressure on it, especially in the top 10.”
