Wimbledon stars show their true colours and betray what made them rich | Tennis | Sport

Wimbledon is causing quite a racket – and a ball hasn’t even been struck in anger yet. And all those causing the noise are the same sportsmen and women who are supposed to make the event great in the first place.

But with one smash to the face of the All England Club, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka & Co have used the most famous tennis tournament in the world, as a vehicle to prove their motivation is as much about greed, as getting their hands on the greatest title of all.

The leading protagonists have agreed to expand their prize money protest at SW19, despite being set to benefit from a 20 per cent increase in the 2026 pot of gold.

The singles’ champions will each take home £3.6m this time round.

But it still isn’t enough.

While someone losing in straight sets in the first round won’t head into the sunset feeling too down.

Because he or she will have pocketed £80,000 for the trouble.

That’s not bad for a few hours’ work.

Even Elon Musk would be satisfied with this.

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But all those taking part would rather focus on the fact the overall fund is still around £7m short of what the players had been hoping for.

For the record, Sinner has won a few quid shy of £65m in prize money during his career.

Sabalenka is second all-time on the women’s list with £41m.

But this won’t stop these two, and all the rest, from limiting the amount of time they spend talking to the media.

Post-match appearances will be stopped after 15 minutes, throughout the first week of the Championships.

This number is the same as the amount of revenue which the Grand Slams allocate to prize money.

But still more than enough time for those gracing us with their presence, to be asked to explain the reasons for protesting – however farcical these turn out to be.

Perhaps one of them could be that the players believe having the best facilities on the planet costs peanuts?

AELTC chairwoman Deborah Jevons is said to be ‘surprised and disappointed”.

This is the last thing she needs, considering it comes on top of other circumstances which have now put the Championships at risk of being a bit of a wash-out, despite the scorching weather.

There is no Carlos Alcaraz this year. Home hero Jack Draper is on the comeback from injuries and, not for the first time, there is more chance of Scotland winning the World Cup than of Emma Raducanu winning Wimbledon.

Former champion Marketa Vondrousova, who won in 2023, won’t be competing either, due to a long ban for refusing an anti-doping test.

Oh, and there is the small matter of a footballing feast taking place in North America right now.

Wimbledon is supposed to be one of the highlights of the sporting summer.

One of the most prestigious events in the sporting calendar.

But it turns out those in all-white are not as pure as we thought they were.

This lot have shown their true colours – and it betrays the sport which has made them rich in the first place.