The Rolland Garros on May 26 (Tuesday) saw world number one female tennis player Aryna Sabalenka don a Rs 97 Lakh to Rs 1.1 cr jewelry while playing her Round 1 game at the French Open 2026.
Because she appeared with that luxury brand time only a day after having joined a high-profile player coalition demanding higher prize money and fairer revenue distribution from Grand Slam organizers, the Belarusian tennis powerhouse seemed to have stunned spectators with surprise as both the things are completely different.
The striking contrast of a multi-millionaire athlete wearing jewelry worth significantly more than a first-round loser’s total tournament payout instantly sparked intense debate across the tennis world.
While the ice on her neck turned heads, it didn’t slow her down. Sabalenka comfortably dispatched Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 to secure her spot in the second round.
After the match, she shrugged off any claims that the jewelry hindered her mobility, stating, “For me, it’s important to look good. If I feel good looking-wise, I perform better.”
The Controversy: The Media Boycott vs. The Luxury Price Tag
The timing of Sabalenka’s high-fashion statement is what really drew sharp criticism from fans and pundits.
Earlier in the week, elite players—including Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff—had staged a coordinated protest by drastically shortening their pre-tournament media commitments to a strict 15-minute cap. The players are pushing Grand Slam organizers, specifically the French Tennis Federation, to increase their revenue share. Currently, players receive less than 15% of total tournament revenues, and the locker room is fighting to push that baseline closer to 22%.
Critics on social media quickly pointed out the perceived irony of advocating for financial hardship while casually sporting ₹97 Lakh worth of diamonds during a match. The jewelry worn on court was worth nearly double the gross prize money her opponent, Bouzas Maneiro, took home for her first-round exit.
Sabalenka Fires Back: “It’s Not About Me”
Faced with direct accusations of hypocrisy during her post-match press conference, the three-time Grand Slam champion firmly shut down the narrative, refusing to allow her personal sponsorships to detract from the institutional battle.
“I don’t really see how it can be possible to cross these two completely different worlds,” Sabalenka responded directly. “And as I said before, prize money, it’s not like it’s about me at all. Everyone knows that I’m okay.
“It’s just that we are fighting for a fair percentage out of the revenues, and also for the lower-ranked players, players coming back after injuries, and the next generation to be more comfortable coming into the top 10. They are the ones really struggling to survive in this tennis world,” she added.
Whether the jewellery was just to prove her point, or just because she liked it, only Sabalenka can tell. But it surely did score a point on putting the issue at the centre of everything in French Open 2026.