Wimbledon Singles Champions to Win £2m Each in 2022 |
The total prize money of £40.35 million represents an 11.1
percent increase on last year’s Championships, where capacity at the southwest
London venue was reduced for Covid reasons.
It is also 5.4 percent more than was on offer to competitors
during the last ‘regular’ edition of Wimbledon in 2019.
There had been speculation that the removal of ranking
points by the ATP (men’s) and WTA (women’s) tours, following Wimbledon’s
controversial decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players following Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine, could lead to a reduced prize fund.
But with capacity crowds expected and scheduled play on the
middle Sunday for the first time, organisers have boosted the overall total.
Players beaten in the first round of the singles will still
collect £50,000 while the runners-up in the finals will each take home more
than £1 million.
Former world number one Naomi Osaka has threated to withdraw
from this year’s Wimbledon over the decision to strip the tournament of ranking
points but has still to confirm if she will indeed miss the last of tennis’
four majors still played on grass.
Ian Hewitt, chairman of Wimbledon organisers the All England
Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), said: “From the first round of the qualifying
competition to the champions being crowned, this year’s prize money
distribution aims to reflect just how important the players are to The
Championships as we look to continue to deliver one of the world’s leading
sporting events.”
This year’s Wimbledon starts on June 27, with Novak Djokovic
set to defend his men’s singles title but no reigning women’s champion taking
part after Australia’s Ashleigh Barty retired in March.
AFP
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