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Players quietly push for more tourney revenue
Updated On: 29 August, 2019 08:54 AM IST | | AFP
And he has talked to WTA player council members, including Sloane Stephens, who have similar goals and seek a united effort for more money from tournaments
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Vasek Pospisil. Pic/AFP
New York: A sizeable number of top male tennis players, including some big stars, are backing a petition seeking a major prize money boost from Grand Slams and other tournaments in a behind-the-scenes revenue fight at the US Open. And women's players might join them in the battle. Canada's Vasek Pospisil pulled the cover off the turmoil Tuesday amid reports that up to 100 players have signed the petition. "There are a lot of players, a lot. I'll just leave it at that," said Pospisil. "We have big names as well." Pospisil says only the top 100 ATP Tour players make money because only 14 percent of the sport's revenues goes back to the players. And he has talked to WTA player council members, including Sloane Stephens, who have similar goals and seek a united effort for more money from tournaments.
"We all want change. We all want to make our tours better. The more unified we are going in that direction the better," she said. "I love that he's so passionate about changing the atmosphere and making our tours better. I think that's what we need right now." The world number 216, at his lowest spot since May 2011, played down the notion players could threaten not to play to force greater profit sharing from ATP and Grand Slam events. "I think we're just wanting to say, 'Hey, we're here, let's have fair talks, explanations, transparency. Explain why things have to be certain ways,'" Pospisil said. "It's just a very gentle, 'Can we come to the negotiation table and can you just explain to us why it has to be a certain way, why it has to be 14 percent?'"
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