Swiss tennis star Stan Wawrinka is still a joy to watch when he is playing. He is also one of the most outspoken players on the circuit and has never shied away from spitting out facts. Wawrinka did it again when he criticized the Grand Slams for hoarding money.
The Swiss star slammed the Grand Slams for being self-serving by not increasing the players’ prize money. Tennis has seen a rise in popularity in recent years, with more sponsors pouring in money. However, there has not been a proportionate increase in the prize pool with the increase in revenue.
Stan added that the Slams are some of the richest federations in the world. Unfortunately, they do not redistribute a major portion of the money the tournaments generate. He did not hold back from slamming the authorities.
“They do not redistribute enough to tennis compared to the income they generate. And they have way too much power because they make [so much] money. Grand Slam tournaments only concern their interest, for their country and their Federation. Today, we are stuck until the day the players say stop. Today, the real problem in tennis is the Grand Slams,” said Wawrinka (via L’Equipe).
Tennis players earn the most from Grand Slams. As Wawrinka stated, these major tournaments have only seen a nominal increase in the prize pool. Between 2019 and 2022, the revenue increased from $320 million to $377 million. The prize pool, on the other hand, increased by only $7.30 million.
The French Open has seen the biggest growth, with a +13.76% increase from 2022. On the other hand, the Australian Open has seen the smallest increase, at +3.38%. While these are not definitive numbers in any way, Stan Wawrinka is spot on with his assessment.
Besides Stan Wawrinka, who else has openly spoken about the ‘money issue’?
A top-heavy prize distribution system exists in tennis, and anyone outside the top 150 ranks struggles to make ends meet. Players and other experts have criticized this structure in the past, but all requests have fallen on deaf ears.
Sam Duvall, the owner of the WTA 250 in Cleveland, mentioned that there is enough money for players. The ATP, the main governing body of men’s tennis, has taken steps to help its players. Much of the heavy lifting is done on the Challenger Tour, which has seen a 25% rise.
Between 2015 and 2019, the top players earned around $8 million. Simultaneously, those between 101 and 120 earned $298,359, while those ranked No. 141 to 160 averaged $157,616.
Given the discrepancy, it is not surprising that Stan Wawrinka and others have spoken about it. Change takes time and effort, and the players must surely hope it arrives swiftly.