Italian Open leaders side with players on prize money issue and aim to become a 5th Grand Slam
ROME (AP) — Italian Open organizers are supporting tennis players who are urging a boycott unless the Grand Slam tournaments improve their prize money . Angelo Binaghi, the president of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation, is taking advantage of the move as part of a campaign to turn their event into a fifth Grand Slam . The players have targeted the coming French Open for reducing players' share of revenue to an alleged 14.
3% — compared to the 22% at ATP and WTA events like the Italian Open this week. Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff were among players this week threatening a boycott of the Slams if they don’t start receiving more compensation. “The players have our full support,” Binaghi said.
“It’s scandalous that we’re required by the ATP to share a bigger cut of the revenues with the players and the four Grand Slams hand out a smaller cut. “It’s shameful and creates competitive disparities, too, because the four nations (that organize the Slams) have a huge amount of money to invest in their technical sectors that other nations don’t have,” Binaghi added. “I want to blow apart this monopoly.
” Italian Open prize money It should be noted that the Italian Open has offered less prize money for women than men for years. The total men's prize money this year in Rome is $9. 6 million while the women's prize money is $8.
3 million. But next week the women's champion in Rome will earn 1. 055 million euros — slightly more than the 1.
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