Sabalenka defends Wimbledon protest, says it's for struggling players

LONDON, June 27 : Wimbledon top seed Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday defended a prize-money protest by leading players despite the grasscourt Grand Slam increasing its pot by a record 20 per cent this year.

The world number one is in a group represented by former WTA chief executive Larry Scott who are demanding a bigger slice of the Grand Slam pie and improved player welfare.

Wimbledon's £64.2 million pot this year equates to about 15 per cent of the tournament's revenue, short of the 16 per cent — about £70 million — the players sought.

As at the French Open, where Sabalenka and others restricted their pre-tournament media duties in protest, the Belarusian held a shortened press conference.

"It's a great start they raise the prize money. It's an amazing start. If you look over the last 10 years, if you compare the prize money to 2016, it's kind of like the same (as a percentage) because it went down," she told reporters.

"I really hope we can finally get to the table and really get it done, come to a conclusion that everyone's going to be happy with. Hopefully we'll never have to do it again."

A first Wimbledon title would earn Sabalenka £3.6 million, up from the £3 million paid to 2025 champions Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner.

First-round losers will receive £80,000, up from £66,000.

Asked whether top players' complaints, given many are multimillionaires, might not sit well with a public facing rising ticket and food prices, the four-time Grand Slam singles champion said: "We do it for the tour, we don't do it for ourselves."

"We do it for the rest of the players who are suffering to even hire a coach. It's not an easy life for lower-ranked players.

"I'm more than sure the crowd understand. I mean, we're playing matches, we're