LONDON — In response to players advocating for a larger cut of the revenues, Wimbledon made headlines on Thursday by unveiling a remarkable 20% boost in total prize money. The singles champions will each take home an impressive £3.6 million ($4.8 million) during the upcoming grass-court Grand Slam next month.
The cumulative prize pool, which includes player per diems, will reach £64.2 million ($85.8 million), marking it as “by far” the largest annual increase in the tournament’s illustrious history.
“I hope the players find this announcement encouraging. It truly is a substantial sum,” stated All England Club chair Deborah Jevans during a press briefing.
“We’ve evaluated every stage of the event, including qualifying. My aspiration is for players to appreciate the significance of this increase.”
For years, players have been voicing their demand for a larger share of revenues from the four Grand Slam tournaments and have recently initiated movements toward collective action.
This year, players suggested a total prize pool of £71 million ($95 million), as Jevans pointed out, emphasizing her recent discussions in Paris with Larry Scott, the former WTA CEO who has been advising the players.
Ahead of the French Open, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka suggested players might need to consider a boycott if their requests go unaddressed. Other notable figures, including Men’s No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Coco Gauff, have also added their voices to the conversation.
During pre-tournament press conferences at Roland Garros, several top-10 players symbolically limited their media interactions to 15 minutes to protest their share of tournament revenues.
Just over a year ago, 20 leading players signed a letter addressed to the organizers of the four Grand Slams, demanding higher prize money and a stronger role in decision-making.
The prestigious Wimbledon tournament, the oldest Grand Slam, kicks off on June 29. Defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek and last year’s men’s finalist Jannik Sinner, who triumphed over Carlos Alcaraz, are set to return, though Alcaraz will miss the event due to a wrist injury.
This year, first-round prize money will stand at £80,000 ($107,000), reflecting a 21% rise compared to 2024, while the qualifying rounds will enjoy a total increase of 25%.
The runners-up in both the men’s and women’s singles will earn £1.8 million ($2.4 million) each, which marks an 18% boost from last year.
Jevans remarked: “This announcement not only recognizes the success of The Championships but also reflects our commitment to a sustainable program that enables us to raise prize money while investing in facilities, nurturing the grass court season, and supporting tennis at both the British and international levels.”
Wimbledon profits also support grassroots tennis
Increasing prize money is a careful balancing act, given that 90% of any distributable financial surplus from Wimbledon is allocated to the Lawn Tennis Association, the governing body for tennis and padel in Britain.
The LTA aims to boost participation in the sport, refurbish courts, support elite player development, and manage grass-court tournaments leading up to Wimbledon.
For the calendar year 2025, the LTA indicated a 4% decrease in the Wimbledon surplus (£48.6 million or $65 million) compared to 2024, although its total revenue rose by 2%, partly due to the introduction of a women’s tour event at Queen’s Club.
