Coco Gauff Calls Out Tennis Pay Gap Despite Grand Slam Billions

“It’s not about me. It’s about the future of our sport and the current players who aren’t getting as many benefits as even some of the top players are getting,” Gauff added.

While the Grand Slams should set an example by helping reduce the pay gap, the reality is quite the opposite.

The French Open 2026 prize pool increased by 9.5 percent from 2025 to reach a total of €61.7 million, which equals $72.3 million. The organization projects that this amount will constitute 15 percent of the French Open’s estimated revenue.

Apart from Gauff, the world No. 3 Iga Świątek, who won six Grand Slam titles, also declared on Tuesday that she learned about the possible boycott for the first time.

“I think we have good communication between us,” Świątek said in a news conference. “Sometimes, if it’s an important topic, we are ready to speak together.

Joint ATP and WTA Tour events distribute 22 percent of their revenue to players, whereas various U.S. team sports organizations provide players with approximately 50 percent of their league revenues, which includes the NFL, NBA, and MLB.

At the upcoming French Open on May 24, the singles champions will each receive 2.8 million euros, and the runners-up will receive 1.4 million euros. Semifinalists earn 750,000 euros, and it goes downhill from there, with first-round losers getting only 87,000 euros.

However, Gauff first needs to cross the hurdle of the Italian Open before the Grand Slam season officially starts.

Coco Gauff Needs to Pick Up Momentum at the Italian Open

The World No.4 suffered an early exit at the Round of 16 in the Madrid Open at the hands of Linda Noskova.

With just 650 WTA ranking points to defend at this year’s Italian Open, Gauff will need to perform well to stay in the WTA top four ahead of the French Open.

Gauff currently sits at 6,749 WTA points, 613 ahead of World No.5 Jessica Pegula and 764 ahead of World No.6 Amanda Anisimova.

A deep run in Rome is required to protect her top-four seeding.

If the 22-year-old finishes in the top four ahead of Roland Garros, she will also improve her chances of defending her title, as she would face a top-four seed in the semi-finals rather than the quarter-finals.

Gauff is set to face Tereza Valentova in the Round of 64 on Thursday.

So, do you think the World No.4 will be able to gain some much-needed momentum ahead of the Grand Slam season?

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