Elite men's and women's tennis players, including Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, have agreed to pause their public campaign for greater prize money and influence at Grand Slams. This decision follows an agreement with the organisers of the four major tournaments to create a Grand Slam Player Council and implement significant increases in payouts since the campaign began last year.
A joint statement from the players confirmed that they will now collaborate directly with the Grand Slams to establish the Council. This body will allow players to be directly consulted and negotiate on an ongoing basis. The announcement comes after the conclusion of the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year.
The campaign involved top 10 players from both men's and women's rankings, though Carlos Alcaraz withdrew his support earlier this month. Players, advised by former WTA CEO Larry Scott, had previously warned of a potential boycott if their demands were ignored. While the public phase of the campaign concludes, players have stated they may resume lobbying if the new Council does not sufficiently continue the progress made.
Among their demands, players sought Grand Slam prize money to be set at 22% of tournament revenue, aligning with leading ATP and WTA Tour events. They also requested majors contribute to a welfare fund and formally consult players on tournament changes. The US Open has made an initial $2m welfare contribution, with players expecting this figure to rise and other majors to follow suit. A revenue-pegged model for prize money remains an area of focus for the new Player Council.