Wimbledon chair, Debbie Jevans, issued a blunt statement as the tournament recently announced a 7% increase in prize money, bringing the total purse to £53.5 million (USD 72.7 million) for this year.
The announcement follows a recent meeting at Roland Garros, where top-10 ATP and WTA stars discussed prize money, player welfare, and other key issues with the officials from all four Grand Slams.
What Did the Wimbledon Chair Say About the Prize Money Increase?
The demand for increased prize money from players has remained a long-standing concern within the tour. Notably, in March, top ATP and WTA players – including Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, and Iga Świątek – signed a letter to the Grand Slams, urging them to raise prize money and offer players a more equitable share of tournament revenue.
The players also requested an in-person meeting with the heads of the four Grand Slams to present their concerns. Initially planned for Madrid, the meeting was held in Paris last month.
Now weeks after the discussion, Wimbledon’s chair Jevans announced the prize money hike and noted that focusing solely on Grand Slam payouts overlooks deeper, structural challenges within tennis.
“We have listened to the players, we have engaged with the players. Of course we will always listen and discuss with them but the focus on just the prize money at four events, the grand slams, does not get to the heart of what the challenge is with tennis,” she said at Wimbledon’s pre-tournament media briefing.
Wimbledon total prize money: £53.5 million that is a 7% increase vs last year and is double the figure awarded 10 years ago. pic.twitter.com/xIS82XNhGc
— Michal Samulski (@MichalSamulski) June 12, 2025
She addressed the absence of a proper offseason on tour, noting that it contributes significantly to player injuries. However, in response to the letter from Djokovic, Sinner, Alcaraz, Świątek, Gauff, and others, Jevans bluntly said:
“There’s a bigger picture here but, as a tennis player, they’re always going to, I think, ask for more money.”
The men’s and women’s singles champions will each earn £3 million (USD 4 million) — an increase of over 11% from 2024. On top of that, a central draw spot now guarantees a minimum of £66,000 ($nearly 90000 USD), marking a 10% year-on-year rise. The total prize pool is over double the amount awarded a decade ago.
How Much Will the 2025 Wimbledon Champions Earn?
It’s worth noting that Grand Slam tournaments have started increasing prize money. The recently concluded French Open offered a total purse of €56.352 million (USD 65.2 million) — a 5.21% rise from last year. Prize money went up in every round, with men’s and women’s singles champions Alcaraz and Gauff each earning €2.55 million (USD 2.9 million).
However, the Wimbledon singles champions will see a significant boost in prize money, with an increase of nearly €1 million. The £3 million payout converts to approximately €3.5 million (or USD 4 million).
While prize money in early rounds is comparable to Roland Garros, AELTC will pay *significantly* more than FFT to semifinalists, finalists and champions.
Wimbledon champions, using the current exchange rate, will earn almost €1 million more than Roland Garros winners. pic.twitter.com/VoaXOU9Zk2— Oleg S. (@AnnaK_4ever) June 12, 2025
Notable players, including Sinner and Gauff, would also compete in the upcoming Major, seeking a maiden triumph. World No. 2 Alcaraz would be the defending champion in the gentlemen’s singles, whereas Barbora Krejčíková will defend the women’s title.
