The third Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year, Wimbledon Championships, is set to begin on June 30 in London and will run until July 13. In preparation for the prestigious event, organizers have announced a record prize money pool of £53.5 million, marking a 7% increase from last year.
Both the men’s and women’s singles champions will receive £3 million each, which is an 11% increase from the 2024 edition. In addition, the participation fee for players competing in the main draw has been raised by 10%, with a minimum of £66,000 guaranteed.
Players have long been demanding a larger share of the revenue generated by the four annual Grand Slam tournaments. Responding to those calls, the All England Club has decided to increase this year’s prize money. Back in April, 20 top-ranked players signed a letter urging Grand Slam organizers to raise the prize pool. Discussions around this issue took place during the recently concluded French Open.
Speaking at Wimbledon’s pre-tournament press conference, All England Club Chairwoman Debbie Jevans stated:
“The club is committed to continuing our long-standing promise to fairly compensate the players. We are proud that if you look back 10 years, total prize money has increased by 100%, and this year alone we’ve added 7%. We’ve listened to the players, we’ve communicated with them, and we will continue to do so. However, it’s important to note that focusing solely on prize money doesn’t fully address the core challenges in tennis.”
One of the major changes at this year’s Wimbledon is the replacement of line judges with a live electronic line-calling system, signaling a significant shift in how matches will be officiated.
