Sabalenka believes players will boycott grand slams to ‘fight for our rights’
Aryna Sabalenka believes the top tennis players will boycott grand slam tournaments in an attempt to resolve their dispute with the four events, which they argue should provide players with a greater share of their growing revenues,“I think at some point we will boycott it, yeah,” said the world No 1 during her pre-tournament press conference at the Italian Open,“I feel like that’s going to be the only way to fight for our rights,”Her comments come after a group of the top 20 male and female players released a statement criticising the prize money levels offered at the French Open, which begins this month,Sabalenka argued the players should be better compensated for their influence on tournament finances.
“Definitely when you see the number and you see the amount the players [are] receiving … I feel like the show is on us,” the Belarusian said.“I feel like without us there wouldn’t be a tournament and there wouldn’t be that entertainment.I feel like definitely we deserve to be paid more percentage.What can I say? I just really hope that all of the negotiation that we are having, we at some point are going to get to the right decision, to the conclusion that everyone will be happy with.”Coco Gauff, the world No 4, said she also believes it could take a boycott for the players to achieve their aims, citing successful action taken by female basketball players in the US.
“I kind of agree with that,” she said of Sabalenka’s comments, “just taking what the WNBA accomplished.They also have a union, so I think that helps.“I definitely think, not from my experience, because I don’t have a lot of life experiences, but from the things I’ve seen with other sports, usually to make massive progress and things like this, it takes a union.We have to become unionised in some way.I think you can put pressure on media and things like that.
For all of us showing up, everyone’s going to act as normal,I definitely agree with her on that standpoint,I think a few other players agree, too,”The player group has published a series of signed private letters and public statements aimed at the four grand-slam tournaments – the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open – over the past year arguing players receive an unfairly low share of revenue,They have also called for contributions to player welfare funds, such as player pension initiatives promoted by the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals and the Women’s Tennis Association.
Iga Swiatek, the former world No 1, offered her own measured criticisms of the four majors on Tuesday.“I think we’ve been pretty reasonable in terms of our proposal and getting the fair share of revenue,” she said.“The most important thing honestly is to have proper communication and discussions with the governing bodies so we have some space to talk and maybe negotiate.Hopefully before Roland Garros there’s going to be opportunity to have these type of meetings and we’ll see how they go.”Swiatek said she was unsure whether players would be willing to boycott tournaments but insisted that off-court issues in recent years have united the top female players.
“I think we have [been] pretty clear and [hold a] similar vision.But boycotting the tournament, it’s a bit extreme kind of situation.I don’t know.I guess we as players are here to play as individuals, and we’re competing against each other.There have been situations like that, so it’s really hard for me to say how it would work, if it’s even there in the picture.
For now, I haven’t heard anything,”Sabalenka, however, believes that players would be on the same page,“Let’s see how far we can get,” she said,“If it’s going to take players for boycott,I feel like nowadays, we girls can easily get together and go for this because some of the things I feel like it’s really unfair to the players.
I think at some point it’s going to get to this.”
Farage’s partner refuses to confirm how she paid for house in his constituency
Nigel Farage’s partner, Laure Ferrari, has refused to confirm how she paid for a house in the Reform leader and MP’s constituency of Clacton, adding “there’s more than one way to pay for a house”.In an interview with French publication Le Monde, Ferrari was questioned over revelations in the Guardian that she had purchased a house in her name in Clacton after Farage had claimed to be the buyer.Farage initially said the arrangement was for “security” reasons. Some months later, he told reporters that Ferrari came from “a very wealthy French family and can afford it” – although a subsequent BBC investigation raised further questions about the size of her family’s alleged wealth.Quizzed by Le Monde on the issue, the publication said she “dodged” the question
‘Close to zero impact’: US study casts doubt on effect of phone ban in schools
Strict bans on mobile phones in schools have “close to zero” impact on student learning and show no evidence of improvements in attendance or online bullying, a study has found.Researchers at US universities including Stanford and Duke looked at nearly 1,800 US schools where students’ phones were kept in locked pouches and found little or no differences in outcomes compared with similar schools without strict bans.The report concluded that among schools instituting a ban: “For academic achievement, average effects on test scores are consistently close to zero.”The results will come as a disappointment to teaching unions and campaigners in England who backed the government’s recent move to restrict the use of mobile phones in schools. A ban is likely to come into force next year
Badenoch defends seeking a ban on pro-Palestine marches but not Tommy Robinson ones – as it happened
Kemi Badenoch also used her Today interview to defend her argument that pro-Palestine marches should be banned because they platform antisemitism, but that marches organised by the far-right activist Tommy Robinson should be allowed.When it was put to Badenoch that the Robinson marches were a platform for anti-Muslim hate, Badenoch said that the marches were “different”, and that two Jewish men were killed at Heaton Park synagogue last year and that another two Jewish men were almost killed in Golders Green last week.When it was put to her that Muslims might feel threatened by some of the things said at a Robinson event, she insisted that the two sorts of marches were “not the same”.She went on:double quotation markCriticism of religion is allowed in this country. We mustn’t mix the two things
Farage deploys the rottweiler to distract from awkward £5m gift story | John Crace
It’s a classic from the Donald Trump playbook: everything’s been going a bit tits up, so you create a distraction. Get everyone looking in the wrong direction. Last week was the worst in months for Reform. First the party was pegged back in the opinion polls, then the Guardian revealed Nigel Farage had been given a £5m handout by Christopher Harborne, a Thai-based crypto dealer. A donation that Nige had never thought to declare
There’s no excuse for boozing at work | Brief letters
I am sorry, Gaby Hinsliff, but I cannot defend MPs’ booze culture (My advice to Hannah Spencer? Before calling out MPs’ boozing, try to understand the reasons behind it, 1 May). As a retired nurse, there were times when my colleagues and I were working long hours under a great deal of stress, often making life and death decisions. There is no excuse for drinking at work. Hannah Spencer was right to call it out.Patricia HowlettSouth Benfleet, Essex Friends at Abberton reservoir recently encountered a group of women in a bird hide who gave a whole new meaning to the term “hen party”
Greens must take immediate action against antisemitism in party, says Lucas
The former Green leader Caroline Lucas has called for the party to take immediate action against candidates who have made antisemitic comments or posts, following a series of cases before Thursday’s elections.Lucas, who led or co-led the party for six years and served as its first MP, said that while the number of such cases was limited, they could not be ignored.“Statements that have now come to light from a handful of @TheGreenParty candidates are totally unacceptable & require immediate action,” she wrote on X. “There’s no place for antisemitism or any hate speech in the party. This is a society-wide problem and needs to be rooted out wherever it’s found
Totally grounded? How the jet fuel crisis could change our summer holidays – and world history
Four in five Britons worried Iran war will make food more expensive, poll finds
US and tech firms strike deal to review AI models for national security before public release
OpenAI president’s ‘deeply personal’ diary becomes focus in Musk’s case against Altman
Timberwolves accuse Wembanyama of goaltending after Spurs star sets NBA playoff block record
Emma Raducanu suddenly withdraws from Italian Open after press conference