Jannik Sinner has voiced growing frustration among tennis professionals, admitting it's "tough to say" whether he'd ever join a Grand Slam boycott over prize money—but he's clear that players aren't getting the respect they deserve. The world No. 1 spoke out in Rome ahead of his bid for a sixth consecutive Masters 1,000 title at the Italian Open, echoing concerns raised by his fellow top-ranked star Aryna Sabalenka, who predicted players would "at some point" boycott a major.

The issue? Top 10 players are demanding a larger share of the revenue generated by the four Grand Slams, along with better benefit contributions and more say in scheduling. For Sinner, it's about more than just the paycheck. "It's more about respect," he said. "I think we give much more than what we are getting back. It's not only for the top players—it's for all of us, from the men's and women's side."

The frustration runs deep. Sinner revealed that a joint letter from the top 10 men and top 10 women went unanswered for a year. "Talking in other sports, if top athletes send important letters, I truly believe that within 48 hours you have not only a response but also a meeting," he noted. "Of course we talk about money. The most important is respect, and we just don't feel it."

Meetings between players and Grand Slam representatives have stalled, with no progress on benefit contributions and rejected proposals for a Grand Slam player council. Sinner also pointed to the French Open's 9.5% prize money offer as disappointing, arguing it falls short of the 22% of tournament revenue players believe they're entitled to. In contrast, last year's US Open saw a 20% increase, and the Australian Open rose nearly 16% year on year.

Looking ahead, Sinner is keeping a close eye on Wimbledon's prize money announcement. "I think in the next couple of weeks we know what we're going to have at Wimbledon. We truly hope it's going to be better. Then, of course, the US Open," he said. "I do understand players talking about boycott because it's somewhere we also need to start. It has been a very long time with this."

While Sinner stopped short of committing to a boycott, his words signal a growing movement among the sport's elite—one that could reshape how Grand Slams value their stars.