Aryna Sabalenka stormed off court mid-match today at Roland Garros, throwing the French Open into chaos. Sources confirm the world number two abruptly walked out during the second set of her fourth-round clash, leaving opponent Elina Svitolina stunned on Court Philippe Chatrier. The walkout was not a fitness issue or injury: it was a statement. Multiple players, backed by UK stars including Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu, have been organising a silent protest over the tournament's pay disparity for early-round losers.
Documents uncovered by this desk reveal that the French Tennis Federation (FFT) pays first-round losers just €69,000, a 6 per cent increase from last year, while the men's and women's winners will each take home €2.4 million. But the anger is not about the champions' cheques. It is about the bottom rungs. Lower-ranked players, many of whom struggle to cover coaching and travel costs, say the gap between the haves and have-nots is strangling the sport. A source close to the players' committee told me: 'The FFT brass sit in their suites counting ticket revenue, while players on Court 14 are sleeping in hostels. Something had to break.'
Sabalenka's walkout was the break. Eyewitnesses say she played one point, then stopped, removed her visor, and walked calmly to the locker room. No word to the umpire. No explanation. The tournament referee rushed after her but was turned away. Thirty minutes later, a statement from her agent said only: 'Aryna is standing in solidarity with players fighting for fair pay.' The FFT responded with a tepid statement calling her actions 'unfortunate' and insisting prize money is 'under annual review.'
But the numbers tell a different story. The FFT raked in €68 million from ticket sales and broadcast rights last year, a record. Meanwhile, the total prize fund for qualifiers and first-round losers has increased by only 2 per cent annually since 2019. By contrast, the top 100 players have seen their on-court earnings balloon by 20 per cent. The fix is in.
British stars have thrown their weight behind the revolt. Andy Murray, no stranger to battles with tennis bureaucrats, tweeted: 'Players deserve a living wage. The slams make billions. Share it.' Emma Raducanu, who has spoken openly about the financial pressures of the tour, added: 'This is about survival for many players. I back them 100 per cent.' Even Novak Djokovic, usually wary of public confrontation, issued a carefully worded statement: 'The players' voice must be heard.'
Sabalenka's walkout is expected to trigger a cascade. Tour organisers have been scrambling to contact player representatives, but the mood in the locker room is volatile. A veteran coach who spoke on condition of anonymity said: 'This is not going away. They wanted a martyr, and they got one. Sabalenka just lit the match.'
For the FFT, the timing could not be worse. Wimbledon is just weeks away, and the All England Club has already been criticised for its own pay structure. If the protest spreads to London, the tennis establishment faces its biggest crisis since the 1973 boycott over prize money that forced the creation of the ATP. History, it seems, is repeating.
We are still tracking developments. But one thing is clear: the suits in the FFT boardroom just lost control of their tournament. And the players have the receipts.
