Stan Wawrinka has grown increasingly outspoken in recent years, and he now he called out the Grand Slams for not doing enough.
The Grand Slams are obviously the most important tennis events we have. There are only four of them each year, and winning one of them is the dream of all tennis players.
Wawrinka won three in his career, which is a huge achievement considering the era he played in, especially since he bested some of the greatest players ever to play the sport.
He hasn't been on that level for a while, but he still cares deeply for the sport, showcased by his dedication to keep playing, even though he's not really all that competitive.
In a recent interview with L'Equipe, Wawrinka said that he wants to see the Grand Slams do more for the players.
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. [The Slams are] where the history of tennis is written… These are the richest Federations which do not redistribute much.
Even between them, there is no communication… The income from Grand Slams today is very important and the percentage returned to players is ridiculous. It has hardly increased at all.
While the amount of prize money has steadily increased each year, Wawrinka thinks the approach is wrong. The amount of money has increased but if you look at how the revenue increased, it's not proportional. The percentage is the same, if not lower, compared to before.
You are talking about the prize money, not the percentage paid. As revenues have increased significantly at the same time. Grand Slam tournaments only concern their interest, for their country and their Federation. Today, we are stuck until the day the players say stop.
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