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Novak Djokovic appears to be running out of options in his increasingly forlorn bid to win a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, so should he make a radical decision that could boost his hopes?

Djokovic’s defeat in his first match at the Italian Open against Dino Prizmic on Friday was a landmark moment for the young Croatian, as he beat his idol in a match he will cherish forever more.

As for Djokovic, his latest early exit at an ATP Tour event casts a cloud over his realistic hopes of success at Roland Garros.

He was quick to confirm he will not play in another warm-up tournament ahead of his push for glory in Paris, after his decision to play in Geneva last year gave him some valuable time on court before his run to the semi-finals of the French Open.

Yet Djokovic’s lack of appetite to play regular ATP Tour events waned long ago and it is no surprise that a week of practice at Roland Garros is more appealing to the Serbian legend that an appearance at an ATP 250 tournament.

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The trouble is, he has not had enough match practice on clay courts to be fully prepared for the challenges that lie in wait in Paris and that will make him vulnerable in the early rounds.

Djokovic has always had a different level of focus when he gets into a Grand Slam and that is likely to be the case once again in the second major of 2026, but no player has ever won a Grand Slam playing the skeleton schedule he is now operating on.

Throw in his 39th birthday celebrations later this month and you have a scenario that leaves huge question marks over the player who stunned the tennis world by reaching the Australian Open final last January.

Djokovic’s win against Jannik Sinner in that tournament in Melbourne banished the notion that he can no longer challenge the biggest names in the game when it matters most.

That optimism has been diluted by what came next and the reality that he has played just four competitive tennis matches since that run in late January has to damage his hopes of success in a tournament where he will need to win seven best-of-five-set matches.

Wimbledon always appeared to be the most likely destination for Djokovic to clinch the 25th major title that would allow him to move ahead of Margaret Court as the most successful player in the history of the four Grand Slams.

Now Djokovic could make a bold move and withdraw from the French Open, which would give him a month to practice on grass and ensure he is ready to launch a challenge for a record-equalling eighth title at the All England Club.

He could play a warm-up grass court event in Halle or at the Queen’s Club in London and then spend a week at Wimbledon ahead of the tournament getting underway on June 29, but that might not be possible as he continues to battle injury issues that are clearly leaving him frustrated.

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“It’s not an ideal preparation, to be honest,” he said after the defeat against Prizmic.

“I don’t recall last time I had in the last couple years a preparation where I didn’t have any kind of physical issues or health issues coming into the tournament. There’s always something. Kind of a new reality that I have to deal with.

“It is frustrating. At the same time, it’s my decision to still perform in that kind of state and those conditions. It is what it is.”

Djokovic’s chances of winning at Roland Garros appear forlorn after a clay court season disrupted by injury and his decision not to play prior to his defeat against Prizmic in Rome.

In what is increasingly likely to be his final year challenging for Grand Slam glory, he needs to prioritise his best chance of success, so he has to consider skipping the French Open.

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic’s best chance at a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title revealed by expert

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The number of players to withdraw or retire mid-match at the 2026 Italian Open has reached 22 across both the ATP and WTA draws.

By Wednesday, 17 players had pulled out of the combined ATP/WTA 1000 tournament in Rome, and another three men and two women have since followed.

Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper and Marketa Voundrousova were among the big names to pull out before the draws were made on Monday. Marta Kostyuk and Emma Raducanu both withdrew on the opening day of the women’s event on Tuesday.

Amanda Anisimova, the WTA world No 6, withdrew before her opening match on Thursday due to a left wrist injury. Women’s world No 9 Victoria Mboko pulled out before her first match on Friday due to a gastrointestinal illness.

Valentin Vacherot, the ATP world No 16, withdrew shortly before his scheduled second round match against Marin Cilic on Friday citing a foot injury.

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Tomas Machac, the men’s world No 41, pulled out before his scheduled second round match with Daniil Medvedev after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round.

Arthur Fils, who is ranked 17th, retired when trailing 0-4 in his opening match against Andrea Pellegrino on Saturday because of hip pain.

ATP Italian Open withdrawal list

• Carlos Alcaraz (world No 2) – replaced by Sebastian Ofner
• Taylor Fritz (world No 7) – replaced by Zachary Svajda
• Valentin Vacherot (world No 16) – replaced by Martin Landaluce
• Arthur Rinderknech (world No 24) – replaced by Aleksandar Kovacevic
• Holger Rune (world No 40) – replaced by Damir Dzumhur
• Gabriel Diallo (world No 46) – replaced by Alexander Blockx
• Jack Draper (world No 50) – replaced by Hamad Medjedovic
• Raphael Collignon (world No 68) – replaced by Alexandre Muller
• Reilly Opelka (world No 74) – replaced by Aleksandar Vukic
• Arthur Cazaux (world No 73) – replaced by Mattia Bellucci
• Kamil Majchrzak (world No 76) – replaced by Roberto Bautista Agut
• Eliot Spizzirri (world No 92) – replaced by James Duckworth

WTA Italian Open withdrawal list

• Amanda Anisimova (world No 6) – replaced by Romania Elena Gabriela Ruse
• Victoria Mboko (world No 9) – replaced by Nikola Bartunkova
• Marta Kostyuk (world No 15) – replaced by Ajla Tomljanovic
• Emma Raducanu (world No 30) – replaced by Lilli Tagger
• Marketa Vondrousova (world No 44) – replaced by Solana Sierra
• Sonay Kartal (world No 56) – replaced by Zeynep Sonmez
• Varvara Gracheva (world No 61) – replaced by Eva Lys
• Veronika Kudermetova (world No 70) – replaced by Petra Marcinko

READ NEXT: Arthur Fils issues update after concerning injury retirement at Italian Open

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Aryna Sabalenka suffered a third-round defeat at the Italian Open, marking her second early exit in as many tournaments and raising fresh injury concerns ahead of the French Open.

The Belarusian appeared firmly in control against Sorana Cirstea after racing to a 6-2, 2-0 lead, but the momentum quickly shifted as the experienced Romanian battled back to take the second set 7-5.

Sabalenka is renowned for her fighting spirit and refusal to lose, often finding ways to escape difficult early-round encounters even when far from her best level. However, this time the world No 1 was unable to recover after the match turned against her.

Once down an early break in the deciding set, Sabalenka took a medical timeout for a lower back issue and appeared to be in considerable discomfort while receiving treatment from the physio at courtside.

Her movement noticeably declined during the closing stages, with the Belarusian struggling to generate the same power and consistency from the baseline.

Although Cirstea was unable to serve out the contest at 5-4 in the final set, she regrouped impressively and eventually sealed a dramatic 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory to record one of the biggest wins of her career.

After a dominant opening set behind serve, which is one of her greatest weapons, Sabalenka suffered a significant drop in effectiveness on her first delivery. She won just 39 per cent of first-serve points in the second set compared to 68 per cent in the opener.

She finished the match having won 59 per cent of first-serve points overall – her lowest figure of the season.

At the Madrid Open, Sabalenka squandered six match points against Hailey Baptiste in the quarter-finals – a result that raised fresh questions over her status as the clear favourite heading into the French Open.

Prior to the Italian Open, the Belarusian hadn’t lost in the third round round – or before – since the Dubai Championships in February 2025.

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“I feel like I didn’t play well from the beginning till the end,” analysed Sabalenka.

“I started really well, but then I kind of dropped the level. Felt like my body was limiting me from performing on the highest level. She stepped in and played incredible tennis.”

I’d say that probably it’s like my lower back, connected to the hip, which kind of like limiting me from the full rotation. I guess we just going to have some days off. We’re going to spend it on recovery. That’s the plan I believe for now.”

The Romanian had never previously won a set in any of her six meetings against world No 1 players, including a 6-3, 6-3 defeat to Sabalenka earlier this season.

She is also the fifth-oldest player to defeat a WTA No 1 after Serena Williams (37), Venus Williams (36), Martina Navratilova (36), and Billie Jean King (36).

“I’ve very, very happy,” Cirstea exclaimed during her on-court interview after the victory.

“Aryna is an amazing player, she doesn’t need an introduction, she’s No 1 in the world.

“I’m very happy with the win and, again, I’m working really, really hard so it’s nice to have the hard work pay off.”

Cirstea is due to retire from professional tennis at the end of the season after spending two decades on tour, with career highlights including three singles titles and six doubles titles.

“Maybe if I win the tournament, I promise I’ll think about it,” joked Cirstea after being asked if she would reverse her decision to retire at the end of the season.

“It’s amazing what I feel in Rome, it’s why I still play, for these emotions, for this support, for the people, and thank you again for making me feel so welcome here in Rome.”

Cirstea will next face 13th seed Linda Noskova in the fourth round, a stage she also reached in 2024 before being defeated by American Madison Keys.

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Novak Djokovic was unwilling to divulge details of the physical issues that hindered him during his opening-match loss at the Italian Open, sending off alarm bells ahead of the French Open.

The Serb was upset by Croat Dino Prizmic 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in his first match since losing to Jack Draper at the Indian Wells Masters in March.

Djokovic looked in control during the opening set, but quickly unravelled and allowed his opponent to dominate through the extended rallies.

After going down a double break in the second set, Djokovic received pills from the tournament doctor and appeared to be suffering from stomach discomfort.

The former world No 1 made sure not to take any credit away from his young opponent and refused to discuss the source of his discomfort.

“I hope you understand I will not talk about that [physical discomfort]. I want to congratulate Dino. Deservedly the winner today,” Djokovic said during his post-match press conference.

“Yeah, came in to have a match or more. Unfortunately only a match. It’s all right. I’m pleased at least that I fought till the end. I want to thank the crowd.

“It was incredible once again. I mean, the support and love that I’ve been getting, it’s something I don’t take for granted.”

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Djokovic had been forced to skip the Miami Open, Monte-Carlo Masters and Madrid Open due to an apparent shoulder injury.

“It’s not an ideal preparation, to be honest,” admitted the Serb.

“I don’t recall the last time I had, in the last couple years, a preparation where I didn’t have any kind of physical issues or health issues coming into the tournament.

“There’s always something. Kind of a new reality that I have to deal with,” he added.

“Yeah, it is frustrating. At the same time, it’s my decision to still perform in that kind of state and conditions. It is what it is.”

Last season, Djokovic also opted to play a limited schedule, but was often physically diminished towards the latter stages of tournaments.

Prior to his first match at the Italian Open, the 24-time Grand Slam champion emphasised that his expectations for the tournament were lower than usual given his inactivity over the previous two months.

“I am ready enough to compete, I am not really the happiest with the level of tennis or where I am with my movement or the physical, I guess, state. But it’s getting there,” the six-time former champion admitted.

“I wanted to be back on the tour earlier, but I couldn’t. I was injured, so I had to deal with it progressively.”

Djokovic will return to the tour at the French Open, opting to skip the ATP 250 event in Geneva – a tournament he won 12 months ago.

The Serb will enter the Parisian Grand Slam without a clay-court match victory for the first time since 2005.

“No. This year, no,” revealed the Serb when asked about his future plans.

“I’ll just go to Paris straight. It’s the decision. It’s the decision.”

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Coco Gauff’s body language has been critiqued by commentators after she scraped through her third-round match at the Italian Open, recovering from a double-break deficit in the deciding set to avoid a surprise defeat.

The American looked on the verge of being stunned by world No 72 Solana Sierra on Saturday, before battling back to claim a 5-7, 6-0, 6-4 victory and secure her place in the next round in Rome.

Gauff was broken three times in a topsy-turvy opening set, struggling to find rhythm on serve and looking increasingly frustrated with her level.

However, the world No 4 responded emphatically in the second set, completely overwhelming Sierra to level the contest in dominant fashion.

Despite that momentum swing, the deciding set quickly became complicated once again for the American, who fell 3-0 behind after being broken twice.

Sierra appeared firmly in control and on course for one of the biggest wins of her career, but nerves began to creep in as Gauff raised her intensity at the crunch moments.

The Argentinian was, ultimately, unable to capitalise on her double-break lead, with Gauff storming back to win six of the final seven games in a dramatic turnaround.

Throughout the contest, the defending French Open champion showed visible signs of frustration and was even seen hitting her racket against her head between points as she attempted to regain composure.

“It’s not something that I want to do again or make a habit,” commented Gauff during a segment on the Tennis Channel.

“I think you go through things off court, and then you go and you try things on the court, amplify everything and I didn’t want to through my racket so I took it out on myself.

“Maybe it’s better on the ground than myself.”

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“Even though Gauff is starting to play better, she still looks quite unhappy with herself, regardless of winning the second set 6-0 and winning four games in a row in this final set,” commentator and British tennis player Eden Silva commented during the decider.

“In no means is she going to be happy with her performance, or maybe her body language in that match.

“Today, it looked like she didn’t want to lose more than she wanted to win, that was sort of what she was behaving like on court, and you could see it was so visual.

“But we’ve said so often, they don’t put how you’ve won next to your name; it’s just a win. So she lives to fight another day.”

Mark Valledy, fellow commentator replied: “I think you hit the nail on the head, that’s what it is, I think she’s unhappy with her level. Such a perfectionist, you imagine, to reach this sort of standard. The manner in which that first set got away from her, she never really got over it. If she gets through this match, there will be a big debrief after this.”

The American has endured a mixed 2026 campaign so far. While she reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, the semi-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships, and the final of the Miami Open, inconsistency has continued to affect her results at several major tournaments.

She suffered earlier-than-expected exits in Qatar, Indian Wells, and Madrid, with questions occasionally raised over her serve and confidence during tighter moments in matches.

Gauff will next play the winner of the match between 16th seed Iva Jovic and Taylor Townsend.

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The top players on the ATP and WTA Tour are far from happy with the current prize money split at the four Grand Slams.

Over the last year, the likes of Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka have questioned the amount players receive across the board at major tournaments.

They are not necessarily looking for more money for the winners, but more so for the players who exit at the first and second round stage.

Sinner said he wanted more ‘respect’ from Grand Slams, while Sabalenka flat-out suggested she was prepared not to play the biggest tournaments on the calendar.

“I think at some point we will boycott it. I feel like that’s going to be the only way to kind of fight for our rights,” said the World No. 1. “I feel like the show is on us. I feel like without us there wouldn’t be a tournament and there wouldn’t be that entertainment.”

Several players have backed the idea of a boycott, including Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff, but Jessica Pegula is not one of those top players.

Pegula, who was named chair of the new 13-member Tour Architecture Council earlier this year, has praised Sinner and Sabalenka for their words but doesn’t want to see a boycott.

“I’ve been part of the initiative to try and have better communication with the slams to get the prize money revenue higher, to get them involved in player welfare and pensions, all these different things. I think it was great that Jannik and Aryna were both very outspoken about it,” she said.

“I hope we don’t have to get to the point of a boycott. Obviously that is, like, an extreme measure. I think at the end of the day the point is that something kind of has to be done.

“I think to see them speak out was amazing ’cause we’ve definitely been pushing for it as far as myself and some other players to just kind of rally the top players around this because they’re the biggest voices that we have in the sport.

“I’m down to do whatever we need to do, as long as we’re all on the same page. I think it’s been awesome just to see the men and the women come together, the top players. We’ve never had that before.”

While talk of a boycott is ongoing, there is currently no plans for any of the top players to miss the next Grand Slam on the calendar at Roland Garros.

The Paris Grand Slam kicks off on May 25th, with the qualifying stage set to take place the week prior. At last year’s event, Carlos Alcaraz and Gauff lifted their respective trophies.

Alcaraz is out of this year’s event, but Gauff will be looking to defend her title. On the men’s side, Sinner will be the overwhelming favourite to win the title.

If he does so, the Italian will earn the Career Grand Slam, having collected every Grand Slam possible on the calendar.

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Alexander Zverev returned to winning ways at the Italian Open after his humiliating defeat to Jannik Sinner in the final of the Madrid Open.

Zverev was dispatched in straight sets in under an hour by Sinner in Madrid, but he has clearly already put that passed him as he looks to bounce back at the Italian Open.

The German defeated his compatriot Daniel Altmaier in straight sets to get his campaign back underway and confirm a third round match with Alexander Blockx.

Much like the Madrid Open, Zverev is the second seed at the Masters tournament and he has been placed in the opposite side of the draw to Sinner.

Zverev has had little answers to either Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz recently, but it is clear that the star is trying to combat the best two players in the world with a brand-new tactic.

Zverev believes he is on the same level as Alcaraz, although he has claimed he is some way from being able to challenge Sinner.

Five of Zverev’s eight losses in 2026 have come against Alcaraz or Sinner, with the Italian inflicting half of his losses so far this season.

The German showcased a slightly different style in his match against Altmaier, which helped him comfortably secure the victory in Rome.

Alexander Zverev’s losses in 2026

• Hubert Hurkacz – United Cup
• Carlos Alcaraz – Australian Open
• Miomir Kecmanovic – Acapulco
• Jannik Sinner – Indian Wells
• Jannik Sinner – Miami Open
• Jannik Sinner – Monte Carlo Masters
• Flavio Cobolli – Munich
• Jannik Sinner – Madrid Open

Zverev exhibited a new net game against Altmaier, which is clearly an attempt at providing a change-up in his style to compete with Alcaraz and Sinner.

The German went to the net 35 times against Altmaier, which resulted in Zverev winning an impressive 27 points across the two sets.

Zverev has often been criticised for his lack of offensive attack in matches, particulary when he is up against Alcaraz and Sinner in the latter stages of tournaments.

Perhaps offensive plays at the net could give Sinner something to think about if they meet once again in the final of a Masters tournament, this time in Rome.

Nevertheless, it is a very good sign for Zverev and his fans that the German has not appeared to give up after his drubbing at the hands of Sinner.

Zverev has often shown great character on the court and this is just another example of it. The star will continue to fight to earn that long-awaited first Grand Slam title.

If Zverev defeats Blockx in the third round, he will play the winner of Tommy Paul and Luciano Darderi in the fourth round. Zverev’s most likely quarter-final opponent looks to be Alexander Bublik.

Lorenzo Musetti could be his semi-final opponent, but Zverev will be confident he can beat everyone in his path until he likely faces Sinner in the Rome final.

Whether he has the answers for Sinner this time is anyone’s guess, but it is pleasing to see he is trying to find the solutions to take down the ATP Tour’s very best.

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Alexander Zverev has had his ‘ego’ called into question by former world No 9 Coco Vandeweghe after the German placed himself in the same bracket as Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.

The debate comes at a time when the men’s tour appears increasingly dominated by two names few names, with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz continuing to separate himself from the rest of the field through a remarkable run of form.

Zverev recently suffered a crushing 6-1, 6-2 defeat to Sinner in the final of the Madrid Open, with the Italian needing just 58 minutes to secure the title.

Despite the one-sided result, the world No 3 insisted that there are currently clear tiers at the top of men’s tennis.

“Well, I think there’s a big gap between [Jannik] Sinner and everybody else right now,’ said Zverev.

“It’s quite simple. I think there’s a big gap between Sinner and everybody else.

“And I think there’s a big gap between [Carlos] Alcaraz, myself, maybe Novak [Djokovic], and everybody else. I think there are two gaps right now.”

Zverev’s comments came after Sinner became the first man to win five consecutive Masters 1000 titles, including all four Masters events staged so far this season.

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However, Vandeweghe strongly disagreed with Zverev’s assessment and argued that the German has not yet earned the right to place himself alongside multiple Grand Slam champions.

“I think it’s a non-starter,” she said on the Big T Podcast.

“Sascha [Zverev] is not in the same conversation as Jannik [Sinner], Carlos [Alcaraz], or Novak [Djokovic], because of the one thing that he’s missing, a Grand Slam.

“He’s not a Grand Slam-winner, has been close, for sure, has been three in the world, two in the world, for a long time, but that elusive Grand Slam, that’s what changes the difference of who becomes a Hall Of Famer.

“Do you have that Grand Slam title?

“Because there are plenty of world number ones who never won a Grand Slam, [Marcelo] Rios being one of them that comes straight to mind, who won’t be a Hall Of Famer, because he doesn’t have that Grand Slam.

“So I think it’s not fair to the accomplishments of Novak, Carlos, and Jannik that Sascha would even think that he’s in that same category.

“I think that’s a completely separate category.”

Indeed, Zverev has reached three Grand Slam finals during his career but is still searching for his maiden major title.

Meanwhile, Alcaraz and Sinner have completely dominated the sport over the past two years, winning all nine Grand Slam titles contested in that period. The pair also sit more than 7,000 ranking points ahead of Zverev, who remains their closest challenger in the ATP rankings.

Despite the significant gap in achievements, Zverev has been remarkably consistent at Masters 1000 level and has not lost to anyone other than Sinner at those events since the Shanghai Masters last season.

At the Australian Open, however, he also missed a major opportunity after failing to serve out his semi-final clash against Alcaraz.

“Now, if we come to contenders, I think he is number three if everyone is healthy, Jannik, Carlos, Sascha,” Vandeweghe acknowledged.

“Only because we haven’t seen Novak, but you can never count out the great champion Novak Djokovic.

“Novak, out of respect, needs to be ahead of Sascha, but just because we haven’t seen anything, it means that you have got to put a little bit of a question mark.

“I think it’s unfair for Sascha to even think that he’s in that realm, and to your question of ‘Do you think he meant it that way?’, I absolutely think he meant it that way, I think he absolutely has the ego.

“I’m not saying you don’t need it; it’s a great illusion, otherwise, you’ve lost before you step out of the locker room.

“That’s the hardest part as a player, to believe that you belong.”

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Greg Rusedski has given his perspective on whether top players – such as Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka – could boycott future Grand Slams amid the growing debate over prize money.

Despite the Italian Open being fully underway, much of the attention in the tennis world has centred on off-court issues.

Sabalenka, Sinner, Coco Gauff, and Novak Djokovic are among a large group of leading players who have made it clear that the proposed 9.53% increase in prize money for the upcoming French Open is not enough.

The players argue that the increase is insufficient given the huge rise in revenue generated by the four Grand Slams through broadcasting, sponsorships, and ticket sales.

Sabalenka was firm in her belief that the sport’s biggest stars may eventually be forced to sit out the tournaments unless they are satisfied with the distribution of prize money.

“Without us there wouldn’t be a tournament and there wouldn’t be that entertainment,” she argued during her pre-tournament press conference in Rome.

“I feel like we deserve to be paid more, I think at some point we will boycott it. I feel like that’s going to be the only way to fight for our rights.”

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Rusedski, the former world No 4 and British No 1, weighed in on the debate and admitted that while he understands the players’ frustrations, he does not currently see a boycott taking place.

“I think Sinner also said, you know, we sent a letter in, we didn’t get a reply, but this has been going on for many, many years now,” said the Brit during an episode of the Off-Court with Greg podcast.

“Prize money for getting in the four majors now is nearly $400,000. That’s a 10-to-1 ratio from my last year on tour

“So, prize money has gone up. Yes, I understand wanting more of a split. But if you think about it logically, the only way this strike is going to work is if you get the top 100 men, top 100 women, they all come together on the deadline when they’re supposed to enter, and they all pull out.

“It can’t just be the top 10 or the top five or one player here, one player there. We had that in 1973, I believe, as well, when they had the boycott.

“And that was the year Roger Taylor got to the semifinals of Wimbledon as a Brit trying to win the championships. So we’ve had these situations before where we’ve had boycotts.

“But I don’t see it happening at the moment. Yes, they’d like to get more revenue. Yes, I understand their point of view. And I can really think, yeah, why not try to get as much as you can, because your career is so short.

“For the slams, part of the budget goes to the federations to develop players in their country. On top of that, if you look at the facilities at these major tournaments and at these master series, it’s out of this world.

“They’re always investing back in the structure, the fan experience as well. So I see both coins in the toss. I don’t see it happening, especially this year.”

The organisers of the French Open, which runs from May 24 to June 7, have increased the total prize fund to £53.39 million (€61.7m), a rise of £4.58 million from last year.

As Rusedski mentioned, the world’s top 20 players on both the ATP and WTA Tours signed a collective letter in April 2025 demanding fairer pay for all competitors at Grand Slam events.

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Aryna Sabalenka’s suggestions that the top players on the WTA and ATP Tours could boycott Grand Slams over prize money has sent the tennis world into meltdown.

“I think at some point we will boycott it. I feel like that’s going to be the only way to kind of fight for our rights,” said the World No. 1 ahead of her appearance at the Italian Open.

“I feel like the show is on us. I feel like without us there wouldn’t be a tournament and there wouldn’t be that entertainment,” Sabalenka continued.

It’s an opinion that has been mirrored by some of the top players in tennis, including Jannik Sinner and Coco Gauff while at the Rome Masters event.

It’s caused a mass debate in tennis, with Mark Petchey and CoCo Vandeweghe criticising Sinner and Sabalenka for their recent words.

The debate has now spiralled further and TalkSPORT’s Simon Jordan has unleashed a furious rant about Sabalenka’s Grand Slam threats.

Speaking on TalkSport, Simon Jordan was far from happy about Sabalenka’s threats to boycott Grand Slams unless prize money was improved.

Jordan believes the four Grand Slam events – the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open – have given the top star’s a platform to become rich and famous.

“If it wasn’t for the tennis tournament they’d have nowhere to play. If there was no Wimbledon, French Open, US Open, or Australian Open, there’d be nowhere to play so it’s a it’s a two-way transaction,” said Jordan on the radio.

“If we didn’t have a tournament that attracted the world’s media and the best players and, you being one of them, you’d have nowhere to play you imbecile. It’s aggravated me because it’s so onedimensional.”

The top players have long been unhappy with the way prize money is dished out at Grand Slams, and they have been in constant discussion with organisers for the last year.

Several of the top players have lined up alongside Sabalenka after her calls for an upcoming boycott.

“If we all collectively agree, then yes. I wouldn’t want to be the only one, but we definitely can move more as a collective,” said Gauff in an Italian Open press conference.

Likewise, World No. 2 Elena Rybakina said she was willing to step away from major competitions in order to help her fellow players.

“If the majority say we are boycotting, then of course I’m up for it,” she said. “It’s not an issue.” 

British No. 1, Emma Raducanu, meanwhile, would not be for a boycott.”It gives you something that money can’t and that is what is the most important to me, and what I value the most,” said Raducanu. “I wouldn’t be a part of [a boycott] but each to their own.”

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