LONDON, April 20 (UPI) -- The men's and women's singles champions at Wimbledon this year will each win $1.54 million.
The total purse for the tournament is $21.1 million, a 9.4 percent increase from 2009. The first-place prize of $1.54 million is a Wimbledon record.
"Wimbledon exists in a highly competitive global marketplace and it is the world's best players who create and drive the interest," Wimbledon Chairman Tim Phillips said. "It is important that we offer a level of prize money which is both appropriate to the Prestige of the event and which gives the players full and fair reward."
While the Wimbledon's men's champion will collect twice as much as Pete Sampras did in winning the 2000 title and even a higher percentage than Venus Williams did in winning the women's title that year, the payout is less than the U.S. Open, which was worth $1.6 million to Juan Martin del Potro.
The French Open singles winners collected $1.4 million last year while Roger Federer and Serena Williams each won $1.9 million for taking the 2010 Australian Open championships.
Wimbledon opens June 21 and concludes with the men's singles match July 4. Federer and Serena Williams are defending champions.
The total purse for the tournament is $21.1 million, a 9.4 percent increase from 2009. The first-place prize of $1.54 million is a Wimbledon record.
"Wimbledon exists in a highly competitive global marketplace and it is the world's best players who create and drive the interest," Wimbledon Chairman Tim Phillips said. "It is important that we offer a level of prize money which is both appropriate to the Prestige of the event and which gives the players full and fair reward."
While the Wimbledon's men's champion will collect twice as much as Pete Sampras did in winning the 2000 title and even a higher percentage than Venus Williams did in winning the women's title that year, the payout is less than the U.S. Open, which was worth $1.6 million to Juan Martin del Potro.
The French Open singles winners collected $1.4 million last year while Roger Federer and Serena Williams each won $1.9 million for taking the 2010 Australian Open championships.
Wimbledon opens June 21 and concludes with the men's singles match July 4. Federer and Serena Williams are defending champions.
