Top-ranked Jannik Sinner is among the players to recently threaten a boycott of Grand Slams if those tournaments don't increase their prize purses. File Photo by Maya Vidon-White/UPI | License Photo
May 20 (UPI) -- Professional tennis stars will reduce French Open media appearances as part of their fight for increased prize money at Grand Slams, a source told UPI on Wednesday.
Players set to participate in introductory news conferences for the clay-court Grand Slam plan to walk out after 15 minutes Friday at Roland Garros in Paris. That interval is representative of the same average allocation -- 15% -- that tennis' four Grand Slams provide for prize money out of their total revenue.
Other players in the French Open draw plan to refuse interview requests with TNT Sports and Eurosport, the rights partners of the French Open.
"We regret the players' decision, which impacts all of the tournament's stakeholders: the media, broadcasters, the FFT and the entire tennis community, all of whom follow each edition of Roland-Garros with great enthusiasm," a French Tennis Federation spokesperson told UPI.
