Timber wood This season saw grit, passion, and a flood of prize money on tennis courts worldwide. But beneath the shine, questions have come to the forefront. Top players like Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Taylor Fritz have called out major tournaments for ignoring long-standing demands on fair prize money and better welfare for lower-ranked players. Now, 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick is adding his two cents to the debate.
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In a chat with reporter Jon Wertheim on the Served podcast, Roddick questioned what “leverage” players really have without big statements like boycotts.
“No one’s saying that tennis players are underpaid compared to anyone else,” the retired pro said. “The percentage of prize money and revenue that they get from the biggest entities compared to other sports, and what they get from the biggest entities, is crazily skewed.”
Even Wertheim agreed, arguing that tennis does little to empower players. With short careers, no union, and stalled “good faith” talks, progress remains slow.
“If you were going to devise a sport that is sort of least favorable to player empowerment, it would look a lot like tennis,” the reporter said. “Members of the top 10 were in the room, and everything’s going great. But nothing has been done. I think where this stands right now, basically this group of players needs to figure out: What is their leverage? What is their appetite to really fight this? These top players, they need to figure out do they want to take the gloves off.”
Will we see players sitting out of Majors to leverage a prize money increase? Andy and @jon_wertheim explain current structure, who’s involved, and where the conversation stands heading into the New Year. Check out the full conversation on YouTube or wherever you listen to… pic.twitter.com/fcKdsXwQRr
— Served with Andy Roddick (@Served_Podcast) December 20, 2025
For context, players have been saying Grand Slams distribute only 12-15% of their revenues as prize money. That’s far less than the estimated 22% at ATP and WTA events like Indian Wells and Rome, where equal pay already exists. Take Wimbledon, for example. Last year, it offered $63.6 million from a $520 million pool, which equates to just 12.3%.
Among those in the pay discussions is Italian No.1 and four-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner. The 2025 Australian Open and Wimbledon winner reportedly spoke with Grand Slam organizers, but as Wertheim points out, the discussions did not progress.
On October 28, Jannik Files shared a post on X quoting Sinner’s remarks from The Guardian.
“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. Calendar and scheduling are important topics, but there is nothing stopping the Slams from addressing player welfare benefits like pensions and healthcare right now.”
American stars Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton have joined Sinner in calling for change.
As Jamie Braidwood of The Independent reported, they’ve joined others in “calling for more prize money from the four Grand Slam tournaments and criticizing the lack of progress in discussions on player welfare.”
The movement began with a letter in March and gained steam after meetings at Roland Garros, which included Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff. But since the talks stalled in August, player frustration has only grown louder. Players are also demanding a stronger voice in scheduling, rule changes, and expanded events, such as the new 15-day Australian Open, French Open, and US Open.
In his conversation, Roddick believes there’s one clear solution.
“Participation is the answer,” he said with promise.
And it’s not the first time he’s spoken out on the topic of prize money.
Andy Roddick clears common doubts about getting paid as a tennis playerAndy Roddick burst onto the scene as a teenage prodigy from Omaha, Nebraska, turning pro at 17 after ruling the juniors and winning the US Open junior title. He quickly rose to the top, hitting World No. 1 by November 2003. That same year, he captured his first and only Grand Slam at the US Open, defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero and sealing his place as one of tennis’s brightest young stars.
With 32 tour titles, Roddick knows all about the highs, the lows, and the sweet memory of that prized paycheck. In October 2025, he revealed how players actually get paid.
Top Stories“You do not get a check every day,” Roddick said in September. “That would be a nightmare for tournaments. You get paid at the end of the tournament… You used to be able to get a check. There was like an actual bank that probably doesn’t work that way anymore. I doubt that’s still an option.”
Tennis looks glamorous, but it burns through wallets fast. Travel, coaching, and hotels cost plenty. When asked about how quickly these payments were made, Roddick was honest:
“Next day, two days, whatever they’re processing. I’m sure it’s different on a Saturday than it is on Monday. It’s not like it’s not like 30 days.”
Roddick retired in 2012, but his presence hasn’t faded. Now, through his podcast, he dives into the issues today’s pros face, from prize money to the grind of tour life.