Rybakina joins Sabalenka: "If the majority decides to boycott, of course I would join"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 5 May 2026 | 22.02

Rybakina joins Sabalenka: "If the majority decides to boycott, of course I would join." Photo: Getty Images

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It is the current hot topic and possibly of the year: tennis players, both from the men's and women's circuits, are not ruling out boycotting due to the prize money they will receive at Roland Garros, which will be 14% of all the income generated by the tournament. Aryna Sabalenka sparked the flame, followed by Coco Gauff, and now, Elena Rybakina joins the movement.

This was confirmed by the Kazakh during the press conference she gave upon her arrival at the WTA Rome 2026, where she did not hesitate to join a hypothetical boycott. But the world number two not only mentioned this topic, she also spoke about the differences in conditions between Madrid and Rome, as well as her great performance on clay, where she has already conquered four titles.

Elena Rybakina would join a possible boycott following complaints about the Roland Garros prize money

"It's a tough question. There have been many situations in the past where players could have come together and boycotted, but it has never happened. Honestly, I don't know. If the majority decides to boycott, then of course I would join, there would be no problem."

"I think the improvements we need are not only in the Grand Slams or just about prize money. Many people are not aware that there are very high taxes. You can earn more, but a large part goes into taxes. It's another issue. It's hard to say. As I said, for years there have been different problems and we have never come together to make real changes."

A CRISIS is looming in world tennis.

As told by @Tennis_Majors, the top ATP and WTA players have rebelled against Roland Garros.

All because of the PRIZE MONEY that the Paris Slam will distribute this year.

Players are angry for several reasons:… pic.twitter.com/4Ro0FpFBqn
— José Morón (@jmgmoron) May 4, 2026

Reveals the differences between the conditions in Madrid and Rome

"The difference is significant. Here the ball doesn't fly as much. I feel that the court is a bit softer, so the balls weigh more. You always have to be well positioned behind the ball and hit with your whole body. The conditions are different, but I have had time to train. I still have a couple more days. So far, it has gone well, I would say."

Boasts about the level shown on clay

"I always thought my best surface was hard court and then grass. When I started playing, my coach convinced me that this could also be good for me. At first, as a junior, we hardly played on grass. When I started feeling comfortable on that surface, I saw that my results there were very good compared to others."

"On clay, I didn't have as much confidence because I didn't play much, not even as a youngster. I think my first WTA tournament was on clay. After that, I thought I could play well on all surfaces. Clay and grass seasons are short. With good preparation, you can perform well on all of them, although for me, clay is a bit slow, and I prefer quicker points. But the results show that I can play well on any surface."

Admits to struggling with allergies

"I wish I felt better because last week I had quite a few problems with allergies. It's improving now. With the team, we are adjusting the training day by day depending on how I feel. Some days are better than others. When it rains, it's the best scenario for me right now. We wanted to do more physical work to prepare for this tournament, but I think we have done a good job. There is always room for improvement," confirms a Elena Rybakina who wouldn't hesitate to join a boycott movement that would be historic in the world of tennis.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rybakina se une a Sabalenka: "Si la mayoría decide boicotear, claro que me sumaría"