“I think that sport should be like this, just to be fair with the opponent, with yourself,” Carlos Alcaraz once said at Roland Garros, after a small act of sportsmanship drew praise from fans and fellow players alike. Alcaraz has always been someone who has tried to uphold the integrity of tennis, to make it fairer, transparent, and respectful to those who play it. And he keeps doing it again.

Carlos’ outlook now extends beyond the court. This summer, the Spaniard joined Coco Gauff and a host of other top players in sending a second letter to the four Grand Slams demanding clearer, fairer rules and a bigger share of tournament revenues. Dated July 30, the letter calls for raising the players’ revenue share from about 16% to 22% by 2030, bolstering pensions, health, and maternity benefits, and creating a formal player council to give athletes a seat at the table. Alcaraz recently talked to reporters after his 6-4, 6-2 victory over Sebastian Baez at the Japan Open about how the current Grand Slam scenario is prompting the athletes to make a stand.

“I think right now, it’s a little bit a mess between everything, the ATP and the Grand Slams,” Alcaraz could be heard saying in a recent YouTube upload, when asked about the dispute, describing the current set-up with unusual bluntness. He added that players are “trying to make things better” and want a more unified system that treats competitors equitably: Essentially the same principle behind his earlier words about fairness.

Grand Slam organizers point to record prize pools as evidence of progress (the U.S. Open reached $90 million this year). But many players argue that headline figures don’t address structural sharing or long-term welfare demands. Novak Djokovic, who signed the first March letter but not the July one, underscores how even among stars, priorities can diverge. But the fact remains that the players want the Grand Slams to make changes in line with joint ATP and WTA Tour events and follow the structure of pro leagues like the MLB, NBA, and NFL. These leagues often pay the participants close to 50% of the total revenues, and Alcaraz & Co. would like their sport to follow suit.

While Djokovic is missing from the latest letter, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Jannik Sinner have all lent their signatures for the cause. Jack Draper, Lorenzo Musetti, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and Amanda Anisimova, all players who have risen through the rankings in recent weeks, have also signed the plea. However, Elena Rybakina and Karen Khachanov are not on the list.

The signatories have urged the formation of a Grand Slam Player Council along with greater consultation and representation of the players in the Council. The players previously expressed their wishes to consult the Grand Slams about expanding tournaments to 15 days, like the US Open and the Australian Open have been doing for the last couple of years. “I’m not really a fan of it. I don’t know why they had to make it even longer,” Jessica Pegula, who also signed the letter, said about the matter.

However, one Australian Open spokesperson noted that the revenues from the ticket sales from the first Sunday of the tournament go directly to the players. But then again, the tug of war continues. The players who have been urging for a change in the current situation hired ex-WTA chief executive Larry Scott to help them in their cause. However, after a couple of meetings at the French Open and Wimbledon, the Grand Slams explained their vision for a more streamlined calendar for a brighter future.

Contesting the explanation, Carlos Alcaraz and his posse argued further that even if the Grand Slams were thinking of a “Premium Tour”, the players’ concerns could still be addressed despite the new format. The USTA (United States Tennis Association), on the other hand, pointed out how the organization is fundamentally different from leagues like the NBA and MLB, which the former noted as for-profit leagues. The USTA also noted that following the second letter from the players, the prize money for the US Open was increased significantly, along with double-digit increases for every stage and format.

But while Alcaraz and the rest of the tennis community now wait to see how the next Australian Open decides to address their concerns, the 2025 US Open winner has his plate full.

On-court affairs demand Carlos Alcaraz’s immediate response

The 22-year-old came to Japan following a rather disappointing performance by Team Europe at the Laver Cup. And Tokyo hasn’t been kind to the 6-time Grand Slam winner, either. The weather conditions at the ATP 500 tournament have been less than welcoming, and in his first-round bout against the Argentinian, Alcaraz seemed to injure his ankle. With the score tied at 2-2, the top seed of the Japan Open had to take a timeout to receive mid-game medical treatment. While he still managed to bounce back from the setback thunderously, as expected of Alcaraz, by trouncing Baez in straight sets, he admitted later that a momentary scare couldn’t be avoided.

“I was scared, I’m not going to lie. When I planted the ankle, I was worried, because it didn’t feel good at the beginning,” Carlos confessed in his post-match interview. “I’m just happy that I was able to play after that, play such a good tennis finish the match quite good so, but lets see it’s not gonna be the next day for me, so I will try to recover and do whatever it takes, you know, to be ready for the next round to try to play,” he grinned, looking hopeful for the road ahead.

He does need all the motivation to keep playing like he does, though. After all, Tommy Paul’s coach, Brad Stine, only recently quipped how Alcaraz and Sinner are setting the benchmarks and that everyone else is playing catch-up. So, can Carlos keep holding onto his high seat? What do you reckon?