Jannik Sinner is one of the stars thinking about skipping a Grand Slam event just hours after the Wimbledon announcement.
Last month, Jannik Sinner had a surprising loss at the French Open when he was beaten by Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the hot Paris weather during the second round. But the young Italian star is hopeful he can bounce back and get ready for Wimbledon.
At 24 years old, Sinner is expected to defend his Wimbledon title this summer. Many see him as the top favorite, especially since Carlos Alcaraz is out with a wrist injury. Wimbledon will happen from June 29 to July 12. Before that, Sinner plans to play in the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic at the Hurlingham Club in London from June 23 to 27 to warm up.
While Sinner is focused on keeping his Wimbledon crown, reports say he might skip the US Open mixed doubles event this year. This decision comes because of a dispute over prize money, and a few other top players feel the same way. Last year, Sinner was supposed to play mixed doubles with Katerina Siniakova but had to pull out because he was sick.
The US Open recently changed the mixed doubles event, starting it before the singles matches, making the whole tournament last three weeks. Winners get $1 million (about £745,000). However, this year, some players like Sinner might skip this event to push the organizers to increase the prize money.
This is just the latest action from players asking grand slam tournaments to offer more prize money. At the recent French Open, some players even kept their media interviews to just 15 minutes as a form of protest.
Good news came on Thursday when Wimbledon announced they will raise their prize money by 20% to £64.2 million after these player protests. The winner will get £3.6 million, and even players who lose in the first round will earn £80,000.
Deborah Jevans CBE, Chair of The All England Lawn Tennis Club, said: “I’m very happy to share that The Championships will have a total prize fund of £64.2 million in 2026, which is a big 20% increase from last year’s £53.5 million. This shows how successful the tournament is, and it lets us invest not only in prize money but also in better facilities, the grass court season, and support for tennis both in Britain and abroad. As Wimbledon grows, so will the rewards for the players.”