Wimbledon prize money increases by 20% to £64.2m

Iga Swiatek took home £3m for winning Wimbledon last year - a figure that will rise by £600,000 this summer

Prize money at this year’s Wimbledon will increase by 20% to £64.2m.

The singles’ champions will each take home £3.6m with first-round losers paid £80,000.

More than £6m has been set aside for the qualifying competition, an increase of 25%.

Overall prize money has increased by £10.7m at a time when a group of players are campaigning for an even greater share of the proceeds.

They believe the Grand Slams should link prize money to tournament revenue, as well as making contributions to their benefit pool. offering them a greater say in how the events are run.

The players had been hoping for a sum close to £71.7m from Wimbledon. They want all four Slams to pay 16% of their revenue in prize money this year -. calculate that figure by adding 5% to last year's revenue.

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The All England Club (AELTC) paid the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) £48.1m last year. under an agreement in which they distribute 90% of each year's surplus to the governing body.

But executives at the club disagree with the premise that prize money should be linked to tournament revenue,. argue a lot of that revenue needs to be reinvested in the championships.

They point to a successful business model which has enabled them to more than double player prize money over the past 10 years,. do not enjoy suggestions they are exploiting players "like some Victorian mill owners".

The AELTC voluntarily distributed £10m in prize money to 620 players who would have featured in the 2020 Championships had they not been cancelled. of the Covid pandemic.

A 9.5% increase in prize money at the recent French Open was not enough for some players. wholimited their pre-tournament media commitmentsto just 15 minutes in protest.

And, like the AELTC, the French Tennis Federation also takes exception to the principle of linking prize money to revenue.

"I believe that these figures are not the ones we should really look at,. we'll have that discussion with the players," tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said on Sunday.

"I believe that everybody has to make a step in the other's direction, and we'll have to change the mentality. So we'll need goodwill from everyone."

The US Tennis Association (USTA) offered $90m (£67.2m) - and a 20% increase - in prize money last year. The prize fund for this year's US Open. which begins on 30 August, is expected to be announced shortly after Wimbledon.

It will comfortably clear the $100m mark. could well exceed the players' demands for 2026 prize money to represent 16% of tournament revenue.

The players are enjoying increasing leverage,. have highlighted the US Open's new star-studded mixed doubles event in negotiations with the USTA.

The point has been made. the competition is more important to the commercial success of the US Open's 'Fan Week' than it is to many of the players - who may need to arrive earlier than scheduled as it takes place the week before the main draw.

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