Zheng Qinwen joins Emma Navarro and Jessica Pegula in addressing top 20 players' sudden letter to all 4 Grand Slams

Zheng Qinwen has joined Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro in discussing the letter sent by the top 20 players of the ATP and WTA circuits to the four Grand Slams association about an increase in the prize money from the surplus profits the organizations earn. On April 3, French sports newspaper L’Equipe reported the co-signed letter demanding an increase in the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open prize money.

It says the players should benefit equally as the main stakeholders in the sport and proposed greater profit-sharing by the Majors. The World No. 8 said via Ben Rothenberg:

“I think that that's going to be more beneficial for all the players, not only the top players, especially for those players that work hard during all the years and need to get paid from the Slams."

"They have to survive. They also need to pay for a good team to be able to have a good chance to win the match. So I think that's really positive,” Zheng Qinwen added.

World No. 4 and WTA player council representative Pegula said:

“Yeah, I think that's something I don't want to talk about too much. It's just something that we're working with our WTA (Player Board Representatives) with, and hopefully we'll have more information about that soon."

Emma Navarro, World No. 11 and the daughter of Billionaire Ben Navarro, who is the owner of the Charleston Open, said:

“I guess I haven't given that a ton of my energy. I talked a little bit to the other players about it and felt like it was a good idea to sign. And, yeah, I think there have been, I guess, some sort of unfair pay ratios—I don't know the correct terminology—in the past. And I think it's a good cause to sort of come together as players and make sure we're getting treated fairly.”

Zheng Qinwen also gave the NBA's example of sharing 50 percent revenue with players.

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Zheng Qinwen and Jessica Pegula on the PTPA lawsuit

Zheng Qinwen speaking to the media at the 2025 Australian Open - Source: Getty

The Professional Tennis Players’ Association, co-founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, took legal action against the governing bodies of the sport on March 18. A lawsuit was filed against the ATP, WTA, ITF, and ITIA alleging monopolistic practices, unfair prize money distribution, and a hectic schedule.

Regarding the move, Zheng Qinwen said via Ben Rothenberg:

“I don't have contact with PTPA. I'm still at the age where I want to focus as much as I can only on the tennis competition side.”

Jessica Pegula said:

“I haven't really heard anything much since that article or whatever that was. I mean, like a few years ago, I remember they were pitching certain things to different players. And I wasn't ever against anything that they did, it just wasn't something that I was a part of.

Being on the player council was enough to keep me preoccupied; I don't need to add any other things to my agenda, I guess you could say. So I'm not really sure where that's going or what they're intending to do.”

The 163-page filing says 250 players including Carlos Alcaraz support it.