Swiatek, also against Roland Garros prize money: "The percentage of income is decreasing"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 5 May 2026 | 20.50

Swiatek, also against the prize money at Roland Garros: "The percentage of revenue is decreasing". Photo: Getty Images

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First it was Aryna Sabalenka and now it's Iga Swiatek who joins the criticism over the prize money that Roland Garros will distribute in this edition. Both male and female circuit players have risen up in arms after discovering that the economic reward from the Parisian major will only amount to 14% of the tournament's total earnings.

Upon her arrival in Rome, Iga Swiatek didn't hesitate to voice her discontent with the situation. However, the world number three isn't currently in the same position as Sabalenka, who advocates for a potential future boycott. Alongside this looming contentious issue, the Polish player also discussed the virus she contracted at the Mutua Madrid Open, her relationship with Francis Roig, and the significance of all the coaches she has had since the beginning of her career.

Swiatek and a virus that forced her to withdraw from the Mutua Madrid Open

"My tournament in Madrid was tough. It was literally crap. I was completely off the day before the match. Even on the match day, I wasn't feeling well, lacking energy. The next day I was somewhat better, but I don't think I could have played normally. Within two days, I was fine again. I recovered and stayed there without traveling as I didn't consider it safe to travel when feeling so fragile."

"Then I came here and could train at 100% from the start. I made a quick return. It was just bad luck with the timing. Many players fell ill, so I don't think there was much we could do to prevent it."

Iga Swiatek expresses her dissatisfaction with the Prize Money at Roland Garros, but rules out a boycott

"I think we've been quite reasonable with our proposal and in asking for a fair share of the revenues. The 'prize money increase' isn't exactly what we wanted because the revenue percentage is decreasing. The most important thing is to have proper communication and dialogues with the organizations, to have room for discussions and maybe negotiations. Hopefully, before Roland Garros, there will be an opportunity for these types of meetings, and we'll see how they go."

"But boycotting a tournament is a rather extreme situation. I don't know. We are individual players and compete against each other. It's hard to tell how it would work or if it's even on the table."

She asserts there is good communication among the players

"There have been different situations in recent years. Many conversations have taken place within the top 20 group, not only related to prize money but also about the war in Ukraine. After COVID, there was turmoil with rankings, money, and points.
We have good communication among us. If it's an important issue, we are ready to discuss collectively. The same happened with the calendar when changes were made regarding mandatory tournaments. Unfortunately, we reacted a bit late. I believe we have a fairly clear and similar vision."

Reflecting on the importance in her career of all her coaches

"All the coaches I had influenced who I am today. Having a good coach is very important, not necessarily the most experienced, as long as they are smart in how they shape your game. I had two coaches whom I started with at around 10 or 11 years old. I remember they focused a lot on footwork, my topspin serve, which surprised many when I started on the circuit, and my topspin forehand. So yes, there were people who molded my game. But I would say it wasn't when I was six, but rather at 11 or 12."

Delighted with her partnership with Francis Roig

"I feel we understand each other very well. I believe we have the same vision of how I should play, and he is helping me achieve that. I've tried different options in training, which is great because I wasn't entirely comfortable with my game a few months ago. Now it feels more natural, more solid, and more disciplined."

"Sometimes I still revert to old habits, so I'll need time to automatically do what Francis wants me to do. But I think it's going rather well. The most important thing for me is that I'm enjoying playing. I enjoy training. Every practice makes sense; I feel it's part of a process, and with each training session, I learn something new. That's great."

She admits to being less active in WTA matters than in previous years

"It's not easy, especially when things are happening, and you also have your own issues, with little time to handle everything. I'd say I was quite active in 2022 and 2023, but sometimes it was challenging to accomplish anything. I think the situation has changed a bit now. The WTA seems more open to helping the players and engaging in dialogue. It's a good moment for the players to be active."

"I don't want to burden myself too much because I've just changed coaches, important tournaments are coming up for me, and I want to focus on my process. If there is room, I'll also get involved. We have smart players on the players' council. They are very helpful. It's good that they take care of these matters because if 50 players contact tournaments trying to do something, it doesn't coordinate well. I'm glad to have players like Jessica Pegula trying to bring everything together," concludes Iga Swiatek, who is not the first nor will be the last player to reject the prize money from Roland Garros.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Swiatek, también en contra del prize money de Roland Garros: "El porcentaje de ingresos está bajando"