Aryna Sabalenka Explains Why She Backed Letter Asking For More Prize Money

Friday, 18 April 2025 at 13:13

Updated at Friday, 18 April 2025 at 13:14

byErik Virostko

Aryna Sabalenka was one of the top players who signed the letter sent to the four Grand Slams, demanding more prize money for the players.

Tennis players are among the best-earning individual athletes in the world. However, their earnings are sometimes still very small when compared to some of the best team sports, such as American football, basketball, baseball, or ice hockey.

That was one of the reasons why some of the best players in the world signed and sent a letter to the four Grand Slams, demanding more prize money for their efforts at the majors.

All Top 10 players on the ATP Tour, as well as all Top 10 players, apart from Elena Rybakina, on the WTA Tour, have signed the letter. Now, a couple of weeks later, they also had a chance to explain their stance.

Sabalenka was asked about it at the 2025 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, where she competes as the top seed. The WTA World No. 1 player explained that she thinks tennis players deserve to earn more than they currently do.

"Yes, I do. I think we deserve to get a bit bigger percentage. And, yeah, I agree with that, because I think all of us, top players, all of the players, we bring the show. I think we deserve to be paid a little bit more."

Sabalenka also mentioned the comparison to the NHL and the NBA, where players receive a much larger share of the profit earned by the organizations.

"Well, I would say that if we compare tennis to the rest of the sports, like, it's a huge difference in percentage we are receiving compared to NHL or NBA and the rest of the sports."

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"I think we are individual sport, and we are -- I can't compare sports, so I don't want to go that far, but I'd say we definitely deserve a bigger percentage on the Grand Slams. I mean, on all of the tournaments."

During the press conference, Sabalenka also spoke about the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and how much she wants to win the tournament. She has played in three finals already, every time losing to a World No. 1 player.

The Belarusian lost to Ashleigh Barty in 2021, and she lost to Iga Swiatek in 2022 and 2023. This year, Sabalenka arrived as the World No. 1 player, hoping that might do the trick for her.

"Yeah, you know, I lost three finals against World No. 1s. So I was, like, Okay, I have to do it. I have to come back here as World No. 1. Maybe that's the deal (smiling). I don't know."

"But of course I have it in mind. It was three tough matches. I'll keep it in mind as a motivation. If I make it to the finals, I'll be hungry as never, and I'll be focused as never before."