Top-20 players ask Grand Slams for more prize money
Written by I Dig Sports
Prize money at last year's Wimbledon was 50m, exactly double the amount offered in 2014. In that 10-year period, prize money for first-round losers increased from 27,000 to 60,000.
But players have frequently pointed to the vast revenues generated by the Grand Slams, and feel they deserve a significantly larger return.
In the year up to July 2023, the All England Club (AELTC) had a turnover of 380m. But once the costs of running the Championships were deducted, the operating profit was just under 54m.
Nearly 49m of that went to the LTA, as the AELTC has agreed to pay the governing body 90% of its annual surplus until 2053.
Costs include prize money, employing more than 8,000 seasonal staff, preparing and developing the site and supporting other grass court events.
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen said increased prize money would be particularly welcomed by lower-ranked players, who can struggle to make ends meet at other times of the year.
"I think that's going to benefit all the players, not only the top players, especially those that work hard during the year and need to get paid from the Grand Slams and have to survive," added the Chinese world number eight.
"We try to do what we can, and then let's see what the gods bring to us. But at least we're trying."