Wimbledon champion shuts down press conference – ‘I don’t want to talk about this’ | Tennis | Sport

Jannik Sinner gave short shrift to questions about the planned player protest across the first week of the Championships this year. A number of top players, incuding the Italian, have planned protests in relation to the prize money they are receiving at Wimbledon. The All England Club has upped the total purse to £64.2million but this is still just a 14.4 per cent share revenue – short of the 22 per cent targeted by players. As a result, players have written to Wimbledon’s leadership to outline plans to limit media commitments to 15 minutes for the first week of the Championship. In a statement, they indicated the decision was made to “[reflect] that Wimbledon currently pays slightly below 15 per cent of revenues to players as prize money”

“I think it’s getting better, even though we are not at the point where we are 100% happy,” Sinner said when asked about the protests. “In the same time we have seen improvement. Again, it’s not about the money – not only about the money. It’s the whole scenario we take into consideration with welfare and everything else. Let’s see. But yeah, it’s in the future.”

However when asked about the welfare matters specifically he quickly shut down further questions. “I just think it’s better if we don’t discuss here. I don’t like to talk about this at the moment,” he said.

When pressed further on the matter, Sinner continued to give little away. He was asked why protests were continuing when some progress had been made on prize money but chose not to divulge any more.

He added: “Look, I think we talked enough about this at the moment. The Grand Slams know what we ask, then we see how it goes. Again, I’m here now to talk about tennis.”

Sinner overcame Carlos Alcaraz in four sets to win the final last year. It was his first men’s singles triumph at SW19 and he has a chance to go back-to-back with Alcaraz absent through injury.

The 24-year-old faced issues of his own at the French Open earlier this year, struggling with the heat as he lost to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round. He begins his 2026 Wimbledon campaign against Miomir Kecmanovic on Monday, and spoke about the tests he has undergone since Roland Garros.

“[They] were general tests to see health-wise how I was, to be sure that all is okay with the body, which is. All tests were really good,” he said.

“Even though we are very sure we need to practice in hotter conditions. I feel like everywhere where we play is going to be very hot. Every year is getting warmer and warmer. It a very important topic.

“But at the same time I’m happy the work we’re doing. We try to improve in the best possible way, then we see how it goes in the future.”