A tornado warning and a chair blown onto the court in themidst of the men’s semifinal between Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych, well it hasbeen that kind of a US Open. This Open however could end up looking like thecalm before the storm. The top men, led by Roger Federer, remain genuinelyintent on applying major financial pressure on the Grand Slam tournaments nextyear, beginning with the Australian Open in January.
This is a high-stakes game with the players trying toemphasize the Grand Slam tournaments’ similarities with their own events whilethe Slams continue to emphasize their differences. The players maintain thatmore pay is a matter of principle. With the Grand Slams now committed to equalprize money that means with the women along for the ride, the men areeffectively demanding about 25 percent of total revenue.
In the case of the U.S. Open, it would mean approximately a250 percent hike in prize money in a single year from about $25 million to morethan $60 million. If they fail, the players are considering the staging of alternativeevents concurrent with the Grand Slam tournaments, stripping ranking pointsfrom the Grand Slam tournaments and skipping the Grand Slam tournamentsaltogether. Since the players are not part of a union, independent contractorscan chose to withhold their services.
A huge player pay raise could force staff and program cutsand also jeopardize the viability of the U.S.T.A’s recently announced plans fora $500 million upgrade of the U.S. Open site, just as it could impact theFrench Open’s plans “ approved last year “ to expand Roland Garros stadium inParis. There is deep resistance among some Grand Slam officials to the idea oflinking prize money to percentage of revenue. The answer could make all thedifference between a peaceful start to next season and a very stormy one.
