Jannik Sinner shuts down protest questions at Wimbledon

Jannik Sinner shut down questions about the player media protest at Wimbledon.

What happened?

The Italian tennis player, along with other leading players, has been putting pressure on grand slams regarding prize money and player welfare.

They launched their first direct action at the French Open last month, limiting their pre-event media activities to 15 minutes.

Why it matters for Jannik Sinner

Wimbledon responded by upping their remuneration by 20% year on year, but the players are seeking 22% of revenue for prize money.

Sinner answered just six questions in English at his pre-event media, allowing the press conference to go over the allotted time in responding to enquiries from Italian media.

What comes next?

Defending champion Sinner said, “I think it’s getting better, even though we are not at the point where we are 100% happy,” regarding the prize money.

The players argue that the prize money has not kept pace with the increase in revenue, with overall prize money more than doubling in the last 10 years.

Aryna Sabalenka said, “It’s an amazing start... I really hope we can finally get to the table and really get it done, come to a conclusion that everyone is going to be happy with.”

Some players, including Australian Alex De Minaur and French Open champion Alexander Zverev, decided not to take part in the protest.

De Minaur said, “I thought that Wimbledon made a big step in the right direction, and something that should be noted.”

The protests will continue, with players taking part in only 15 minutes of media after each match during the first week, consisting of a short press conference and two broadcast interviews.