Wimbledon LIVE: Emma Raducanu makes last-minute injury decision as star players stage protest

Earlier this month, the All England Club announced record prize money for this year’s tournament, confirming their biggest ever uplift in prize money and increasing the overall prize pool by 20 per cent. Wimbledon’s prize money now stands at an overall £64.2m; the breakdown of which sees the singles champions win a record £3.6m each and first-round losers receiving £80,000.

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Coco Gauff also cut her press conference short at Wimbledon and perhaps gave the best explanation at why the players are continuing to protest despite prize money increasing by 20 per cent this year.

“We definitely welcome and appreciate the increase. It’s still below what happened in 2016, below the 16 per cent [share of revenue] that we’re ago asking for. Also revenue has been up $280 million over the course of the decade, but the revenue was lower a decade ago. I think as the tournament grows in revenue, I definitely think this year should grow.

“I think a lot of people maybe online are trying to perceive this is maybe us since the top players are the ones really getting our message out there.

“I think people have to remember there are a lot of players below the rankings who are very good, top 100, top 200 in the world of their sport. They come back from injury and are not necessarily getting that support. Also we ask some of the slams to participate in the welfare programs that we want just to help the quality of our sport as a whole.

“I definitely think the increase is good, but it’s quite not where we would like it to be. That’s why my stance has still kind of been the same.

“I can’t speak for the future. I don’t know if that will change or not. But I think as a collective, I am happy. I understand why players maybe not want to participate in it.”

Novak Djokovic called Serena Williams an “inspiration” as the 23-time grand slam prepares to make what he called an “epic” comeback at the age of 44.

Djokovic revealed he had seen Williams in the gym more often this week than compared to her prime and is excited to see how she performs.

“What she’s doing is inspirational and it’s epic. That’s what I told her. I always admired her career, her journey, her story. Of course, Venus’, as well.

“For her to come back after years of being absent from the tour, two children later, and to give so much effort to, not just for her own satisfaction or coming back on the tour, but also to give all of us a pleasure of seeing her back on the court – in singles as well as doubles – is remarkable.

“I told her that whatever happens, what she’s doing is truly inspirational for me personally, I’m sure for millions around the world.

“I see her in the gym more than I have, I think, seen her when she was at her prime. It tells me that she really wants this to work out the best way possible.”

Emma Raducanu postponed her pre-Wimbledon press conference after cutting a practice session short, increasing fears that the British No 1 could be forced to this year’s tournament through injury.

Raducanu has been managing a foot problem since reaching the Queen’s final this month and appeared at the All England Club on Saturday with her right ankle strapped in protective tape.

The 23-year-old took part in a training session at the Aorangi training park at midday before playing a practice session on Court 3 with Anna Kalinskaya, the world No 20, at 1pm.

Despite initially looking in good spirits, Raducanu appeared to wrap up the session around 10 minutes earlier than planned after playing and losing four games in a row.

Raducanu’s scheduled press conference for later in the afternoon was then rearranged for Sunday, with the time of her pre-tournament media appearance still to be confirmed.

Aryna Sabalenka also cut her pre-Wimbledon short after roughly eight minutes, while the world No 1 also appeared to get her messaging confused by saying prize money has remained the same over the last 10 years.

Prize money has increased substantially in the last decade, but it is the ratio of prize money to tournament revenues that has remained roughly the same, with the leading players’ representatives saying it is around 15 per cent.

Sabalenka, though, did say that she wanted to protest for lower-ranked players who struggle to make a living from the sport.

“It’s a great start they raise the prize money. [But] if you look over the last 10 years, if you compare the prize money to 2016, it’s kind of like the same because [the share of revenue] went down.

“Listen, we do it for the tour, we don’t do it for ourselves. We do it for the rest of the players who are suffering to even hire coach. It’s not an easy life for players who is, like, lower in the ranking. So we do it for them.

”I’m more than sure the crowd understand us. I mean, we’re playing matches, we’re there, we’re competing, we’re bringing the show.

“Now we just limiting our media. We just trying to really get to something that everyone going to be happy with.”

Naomi Osaka retired from the Bad Homburg final due to a foot injury – just two days before Wimbledon.

The four-time grand slam champion was trailing Karolina Muchova 6-1 1-0 when she retired from the match.

Osaka had won four matches in a row this week without dropping a set to reach her first grass-court final.

Osaka was bidding to win her first title since the 2021 Australian Open but was instead dealt a blow to her Wimbledon preparations.

“I apologise for not being able to finish but this atmosphere has been incredible all week so thank you so much,” Osaka told the crowd in Germany.

Jannik Sinner said he “wanted to talk about tennis” as the defending Wimbledon champion cut his pre-tournament press conference short in the dispute over prize money.

“I think it’s getting better, even though we are not at the point where we are 100 per cent happy,” he said of the prize money.

“It’s not about the money – not only about the money. It’s the whole scenario we take into consideration with welfare and everything else.”

Sinner then refused to answer further questions on the topic, including why the players have turned down Wimbledon’s offer of setting up a player council to address welfare issues.

Overall prize money has more than doubled in the last 10 years but the players argue it has not kept pace with the increase in revenue.

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