Prize money at Wimbledon has almost tripled over the last decade, but is expected to drop this year, ahead of the tournament’s 2021 return.
Wimbledon is perhaps the most famous sporting event in all of south west London and is a jewel in the crown of the British summer time.
Cancelled last year due to Covid, the tournament held at the All England Club, which attracts viewers from across the globe is set to begin on the 28th June.
Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep are set to return as the defending singles champions and picked up a staggering £2,350,000 for their efforts in 2019.
Their winnings were part of a record prize money package of £38,000,000 in 2019, with increases in winnings across all rounds and events.
The total prize money has increased dramatically since the tournament started awarding it at the beginning of the professional era in 1968, though the past side saw a dramatic increase in prize money.
Only £13,725,000 was awarded across all rounds and events in 2010, meaning there has been a 177% increase in the total prize money at Wimbledon across the decade.
The most significant jump came in 2013, where the prize money rose from £16,060,000 the previous year to £22,560,000.
Tennis coach Mike Jones believes there are several reasons why the prize money has increased so dramatically.
He said: “Despite being arguably the biggest tennis tournament in the world, the players need to have an extra incentive, and for some a constant boost in prize money provides that.
“The tournament also makes more money with more people attending every year, buying tickets and spending whilst they are there. That makes a big difference.
“There’s also been a growing demand to make sure lower-ranked players can survive on tour, meaning tournaments have increased first round prize money for players who may not be able to financially cope with the demands of the sport otherwise.
“Many of these players have had to qualify and may spend most the year playing ITF events. Receiving a paycheck of over £40,000 is massive for them.”
There is still no official confirmation on how much prize money will be awarded when the event takes place later this summer.
The total will likely be significantly lower than 2019, with tennis events across the globe struggling financially due to the pandemic’s impact.
This is partly due to capacity restrictions, with Wimbledon potentially having only 25% of its normal number of fans attending this summer, though the tournament’s announcement earlier this week suggests that more fans may be able to attend.
The All England Club have stepped away from their traditional ballot system this summer, releasing tickets to be sold online if and when they come to an official decision on how many can be sold.
