Sinner accuses grand slams of disregard for player welfare

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Jannik Sinner has expressed his disappointment with grand slam organisers for their inaction over requests regarding player welfare and prize money.

According to reports, Sinner was among a group of players from the ATP top 10 involved in talks with tournament executives at both the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year.

However, those talks, which followed proposals submitted by players, were put on hold as tournament bosses stated they must first resolve a separate legal case brought by the Professional Tennis Players Association.

Sinner believes a solution must be found between the players and organisers, for the good of the sport.

“We had good conversations with the grand slams at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, so it was disappointing when they said they cannot act on our proposals until other issues are resolved,” Sinner told The Guardian.

“The calendar and scheduling are important topics, but there is nothing stopping the slams from addressing player welfare benefits like pensions and healthcare right now.

“The grand slams are the biggest events and generate most of the revenue in tennis, so we are asking for a fair contribution to support all players, and for prize money that better reflects what these tournaments earn.

“We want to work together with the slams to find solutions that are good for everyone in tennis.”

Sinner is currently participating in the Paris Masters, where he will face Zizou Bergs in the second round, less than a week after winning the Vienna Open title for the second time in his career.