The membership of the newly created – and highly anticipated – Grand Slam Player Council has been revealed, and it brings together a notably diverse group of 12 WTA and ATP players as the four majors take another step toward giving players a greater voice in the sport’s biggest events.
Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Lorenzo Musetti and Arthur Rinderknech will represent the men, while Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Elina Svitolina, Maria Sakkari and Iva Jovic make up the women’s contingent.
The 12 names were first reported Monday by Jon Wertheim and later confirmed by AFP. The Grand Slams, which formally announced the creation of the council on August 20, have yet to issue a public release announcing its membership.
The formation of the council represents one of the significant gains made by players during their coordinated push for change at the Grand Slams this year. They hope to gain more agency when it comes to the big decisions that go down at the Slams. A change of balls? Altering start times of night sessions? The players have always felt they should be involved in these decisions, and now they have an opportunity to do so.
While increased revenue sharing has attracted much of the attention – and remains an unresolved issue – the Grand Slam player council is yet another way that the players have benefitted from their partial media boycotts this summer.
Stay tuned.
The establishment of a formal advisory council does not give players control over big decisions at the majors, but it does create a direct channel between the players and the Grand Slams. The ball will be in the players court, now it’s up to them to make the most of the opportunity.
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