Roland Garros maintains its prize money despite protests and breaking sports news worldwide.
Director Amelie Mauresmo confirmed that Roland Garros will not adjust its prize money for 2026; meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz faces the risk of being sidelined for the rest of the season.
Roland Garros director Amelie Mauresmo has officially confirmed that the prize money for this year's tournament will not be increased. This decision was made despite strong reactions from players regarding the distribution of revenue and playing rights at Grand Slam tournaments.
Roland Garros maintains a firm stance on finances.
Despite the total prize money for Roland Garros this year reaching €61.7 million (an increase of €5.3 million compared to the previous season), players have expressed dissatisfaction. According to expert analysis, the percentage of revenue allocated to athletes has shown signs of decline, from 15.5% in 2024 to an expected 14.9% in 2026.
Ms. Mauresmo affirmed that nothing would be changed at this time, although the organizers remain open to dialogue with representatives of the players at a meeting scheduled for today (May 22). Under the current prize money structure, the men's and women's singles champions will receive 2.8 million euros, an increase of 250,000 euros compared to the 2025 tournament.
Carlos Alcaraz faces the risk of retiring for the remainder of 2026.
Besides the controversy surrounding prize money, the tennis world is concerned about Carlos Alcaraz's injury status. After announcing his withdrawal from Roland Garros and Wimbledon, Mundo Deportivo reported that the Spanish player may be suffering from De Quervain's syndrome – a form of inflammation and narrowing of the tendon sheath in the wrist.
This is a common type of injury among athletes who perform high-intensity repetitive arm movements. If this diagnosis is correct, Carlitos will most likely have to miss the remainder of the 2026 season to focus on complete treatment.
WWE star Ludwig Kaiser's assault scandal
In Orlando, USA, police arrested WWE wrestler Ludwig Kaiser (35 years old) on charges of intentional assault. The incident occurred at a luxury apartment building after a neighbor reprimanded Kaiser and his girlfriend for inappropriate behavior in the elevator.
Security camera footage shows the nearly 100kg wrestler repeatedly striking the victim in the head. Kaiser has since been released on bail after posting $1,000, while WWE has yet to issue an official statement regarding internal disciplinary action.
Other international sports news
Max Verstappen clarifies his future in F1.
On the sidelines of the Canadian Grand Prix, reigning champion Max Verstappen expressed his support for the FIA's engine regulation changes starting in 2026. These changes would shift the power distribution to 60% internal combustion engine and 40% electric system. Verstappen stated that these improvements motivate him to continue competing in the series instead of retiring early as previously rumored.
Djokovic's chances of winning Roland Garros are being questioned.
Former world number one Tim Henman believes Novak Djokovic will face significant challenges on clay courts this year. According to Henman, maintaining the stamina to win five-set matches at his current age is a huge challenge for the Serbian player, although he still rates Nole's potential highly at the upcoming Wimbledon tournament.
Injury updates in UFC and NBA
- Tom Aspinall:The UFC fighter is still not allowed to return to the octagon because his eye cells have not fully recovered from the serious eye puncture injury sustained in his fight against Ciryl Gane.
- Oklahoma City Thunder:The team received bad news when star player Jalen Williams suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury immediately after their Game 2 victory in the 2025/26 NBA Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.