TOP TENNIS PLAYERS EXTEND WIMBLEDON PROTEST OVER PRIZE MONEY SHARE

Top men's and women's tennis players have decided to continue their protest over grand slam tournament revenues at Wimbledon. The players will limit their media commitments from the pre-tournament media day on Saturday through the first week of the championships, from 29 June to 5 July. This extends a protest strategy initiated at the French Open, where players restricted pre-tournament media duties to 15 minutes and refused to speak with broadcast rights holders.

The dispute centres on the proportion of tournament revenue allocated to players. According to the player group, Wimbledon's current revenue share stands at 14.4%, whilst players are seeking 16%. The All England Club announced a record prize money increase of 20% for this year's championships, raising the total to £64.2m. Players acknowledge this increase but state it falls short of the £71m figure they had pursued. The top players have sought a greater percentage of grand slam revenues, contributions to player welfare funds and the formation of a grand slam player committee.

The protest follows a year of minimal progress in negotiations with grand slam organisers. The All England Club met with player representatives during the French Open in an effort to avoid confrontation at Wimbledon. The player group confirmed that extended media restrictions will continue throughout the opening week of the championships.