The tennis calendar has arrived at the Italian Open, but prize money concerns have shifted the focus to Grand Slams.
WTA number one Aryna Sabalenka has suggested that players could boycott Grand Slams because of the issue, which has been bubbling under the surface for some time.
She is among the women’s and men’s top 10 players seeking a higher percentage of revenue generated by the four major tournaments in the calendar.
World number two Elena Rybakina has now shared her verdict on the issue, having been asked in Rome if she would boycott the events and if she can see the threat becoming a reality.
How would you now rate Aryna Sabalenka’s chances of winning the French Open on a scale of 1-10?
Elena Rybakina would support a Grand Slam boycott
Rybakina said ahead of her first Italian Open match: “Well, it’s a tough question because we had so many things in the past where players could come together and boycott, but it never happened.
“I honestly don’t know. If the majority say we are boycotting, we are not playing, then of course I’m up for it. It’s not an issue.
“I feel like the improvement we need to have, it’s not only on the Grand Slams and it’s not only about raising the prize money.
“A lot of people are not aware that there is taxes which are big. You even make more prize money, but you giving it all to the taxes. It’s a different topic.
“It’s tough to say about boycotting. As I said many years we had different issues. For now not once players really came together and did any changes.”
Can any of these four players stop Jannik Sinner winning the French Open this year?
Is there anyone else you think could be a threat to Sinner?
Elena Rybakina hasn’t been contacted about prize money
Rybakina should be heavily involved in the discussion given her WTA ranking and the fact that she won the most recent Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
Along with that superb success, she also won Wimbledon in 2022, as well as losing the 2023 final in Melbourne.
But the Kazakhstani star has confirmed that she has not been involved in any discussion of prize money in recent times.
“No, I’m not participating,” she said. “No one came to me to talk about it, not from the WTA, not from the Players’ Council, not other players. It’s not on my mind at all.”
| Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Win | 2022 | Wimbledon | Grass | Ons Jabeur | 3–6, 6–2, 6–2 |
| Loss | 2023 | Australian Open | Hard | Aryna Sabalenka | 6–4, 3–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 2026 | Australian Open | Hard | Aryna Sabalenka | 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 |
Having been free from that off-court distraction, Rybakina has been able to enjoy a phenomenal 2026 season.
She already has a huge 27 wins to her name, and followed up her success in Melbourne by lifting the trophy in Stuttgart.
Rybakina is now seeking further glory at the Italian Open, where the second seed starts in the second round against either Lilli Tagger or Maria Sakkari.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
