Sabalenka stands firm on prize money principle

Aryna Sabalenka said it took little to get over her semi-final loss last week in Berlin to Jessica Pegula, with the top seed keen to return to the Grand Slam fray at Wimbledon.

“Couple bags of chips, some sweets, and I’m good to go,” Sabalenka joked on Saturday prior to her start at the grasscourt major.

But the world No. 1 who has not won a title or played a final in three months, said that the top players’ industrial action against the four majors to seek a higher percentage of tournament revenue  remains no laughing matter.

To show their dissatisfaction with a payout that is less than 20 percent of gross takings, top players are limiting their media time to the bare minimum – a total of 15 minutes over the first week at the All England Club..

“If you compare the prize money to 2016, it’s kind of the same because they went down,” she said

“I really hope we can finally get to the table and really get it (the payout rise) done, come to a conclusion that everyone’s going to be happy with. 

“Hopefully we’ll never have to do it again.”

She explained: “We do it for the tour, we don’t do it for ourselves.We do it for the rest of the players who are suffering to
even hire a coach. 

“It’s not an easy life for players who are lower in the ranking. So we do it for them.

“I’m more than sure the crowd understands us. We’re playing matches, we’re there, we’re competing, we’re bringing the show.

“Now we’re just limiting our media. We’re just trying to really get to something that everyone’s going to be happy with.”