Wimbledon boosts prize money by record 20% as debacle surrounding prize pot threatens to prolong

The top players have continued to bemoan about the prize money situation at Grand Slam, and Wimbledon has answered with a sharp increase. They have boosted prize money to a record-high of £64.2 million, a 20% increase on last year.

A whopping £10.7 million has been added to the tally with the All England Lawn Tennis Club showing the signs of investment throughout a long period of time, giving back to the players who are set to compete at SW19 from 28 June - 12 July.

The singles event in total has climbed £47.2million, up 22 per cent from last year. Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek will return as reigning champions in the men's and women's singles events. The winner this year will take home £3.6 million, a rise of 20% from last time out. The runner-up will earn £1.8 million (up 18%).

A first round exit now sees a player collect £80,000 (21% increase), while total prize money on offer at the Qualifying Competition is £6.2 million (25% increase). The men's, women's and mixed double events also reap the rewards with a 10% rise while the wheelchair and quad wheelchair singles and doubles events has climbed by 20%.

Some of the biggest players in the world, ranging from Carlos Alcacraz, Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, Swiatek and Coco Gauff among others, have been regularly bashing the door of the organisers from the four Grand Slam to do something about the prize money.

Their overall aim is to lift the total revenue going into the prize pot to 22% instead of the current 15%. This saw a variety of them limit their time in press conferences and when speaking to media to just 15 minutes in protest.

“I am delighted to announce a total prize money fund of £64.2 million for The Championships 2026, a very significant increase of 20% from £53.5 million last year," Deborah Jevans CBE, Chair of The All England Lawn Tennis Club, said.

“This announcement recognises the success of The Championships, and that we operate a sustainable programme that allows us not only to increase prize money, but also to invest in facilities, the grass court season and support British and international tennis. We are clear that as Wimbledon grows, the players will continue to share in that success.”

However, this rise may be unlikely to completely abolish the current disputes among tennis players. They pushed for a 16% revenue increase this year with the overall 22% aim to be matched in the future. If done by what the players would have asked for, it would be around £71 million on offer.

“We’ve always been clear that we’re on the side of the players and we want to have a fantastic Wimbledon,” Jevans continued in the press conference. “But using revenue to determine prize money, it just makes no sense. And we have said that to Larry Scott.

“Revenue does not take into account the contributions that we give. And as I’ve spoken about, we’re not for profit. We’re very different to the Masters 1000s in that everything goes back in the sport. So I am frustrated that that message hasn’t gotten across. But we have constant dialogue with Larry in this regard and we’re hoping that message will get across for the players to understand the investment back into the game which is so very, very important and that allows us to be sustainable and will do into the future.

“There’s been no dialogue with the players direct, but we have had dialogue with Larry Scott, who has been appointed by some of the players to represent them,” Jevans said. “We’ve had dialogue, and we’ve had email exchanges, and we met with them in Paris.”

The changes do not stop here. Following in the footsteps off the other three Grand Slam, video review technology is now available on the six show courts at SW19. Players can now review calls made by the umpire.

"As with the introduction of live electronic line calling last year, while this technology will be new to Wimbledon, it's already been successfully operated at the Australian Open, the US Open, and now on the majority of tour events, too," All England Club CEO Sally Bolton said.