Organisers of the Australian Open announced Thursday a 3.4 percent increase in the overall purse to a record A$76.5 million, which would result in pay increases for the tournament’s participants (R881 million).
Winners of the men’s and women’s championships at the first Grand Slam of the year will each receive A$2.975 million (R34.3 million), while players eliminated in earlier stages are performing better than before.
Anyone eliminated in the first round will earn A$106 250 (R1.2 million), an increase of 3.2%, while second-round players would receive a similar increase to A$158 850. (R1.83 million).
The prize pool for the Australian summer of tennis, which includes Grand Slam tune-ups such as the United Cup, will surpass A$100 million for the first time, according to tournament director Craig Tiley.
“It is essential for the future success of the Australian tennis summer that we give strong and relevant playing opportunities and compensate the world’s best players accordingly,” he said.
“At the Australian Open, prize money has been increased for every round, from qualifying to the finals, with the largest increases occurring in the earlier rounds.
These hefty prizes enable players to invest in their careers and in many cases position themselves for success throughout the year.
The prize money of the Australian Open has climbed by more than 321 percent, or A$58.32 million, since it was A$18.18 million twenty years ago.
The Australian Open begins on January 16 at Melbourne Park.
»Australian Open prize money breaks all records«