A discussion between the four major tennis tournaments and players has advanced with the formation of a proposed advisory council comprising 12 members. Novak Djokovic, who holds a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, and current women’s No. 1 Elena Rybakina spearhead the panel, as shared by Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated.
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The establishment of this council was announced on the eve of the US Open in August, following protests from players at both the French Open and Wimbledon advocating for a larger share of tournament revenue and improved player welfare, including pension benefits. The Grand Slam tournaments stated that the council would address various sporting matters pertinent to their events.
Wertheim indicated that the Laver Cup held in London last weekend provided a logistical opportunity for the four majors to meet with this group. The player panel includes six male players: Djokovic; Alexander Zverev (No. 2); Ben Shelton (No. 4); Felix Auger-Aliassime (No. 5); Lorenzo Musetti (No. 25); and Arthur Rinderknech (No. 33). The women’s representatives include Rybakina; Aryna Sabalenka (No. 2); Jessica Pegula (No. 3); Elina Svitolina (No. 7); Iva Jovic (No. 13); and Maria Sakkari (No. 33).
Notably absent from the council are Jannik Sinner (No. 1) and Carlos Alcaraz (No. 3), both of whom reportedly showed little interest in participating. Coco Gauff, ranked No. 4, is also missing from the list.
Players have campaigned for the past year, even cutting back on media commitments ahead of tournaments, to push for a 22% share of the major tournament revenue, an increase from approximately 15% at the beginning of the year. In response to this movement, the four major tournaments have announced significant prize money increases. The Grand Slams affirmed that the council would establish a regular dialogue framework through which players can voice their concerns regarding wellbeing and remuneration, notably related to prize money.