Leading players have welcomed a record increase in Wimbledon’s prize money, but insist major issues remain unresolved.
The All England Club announced on Thursday that the prize pot for this year’s championship has been increased by £10.7 million ($14.3 million), or 20%, to £64.2 million ($86 million).
Player representatives from the ATP and WTA tours called this a “real and meaningful step forward.”
However, they claim this represents 14.4% of the championship’s expected revenue, which is still below the 14.9% figure allocated for prize money in 2015.
They had proposed increasing the amount by 16% to 71.2 million pounds ($95.3 million) as a “meaningful interim measure” towards a demand for a 22% increase in line with major tour events by 2030.
Wimbledon organizers countered that 22% was unrealistic given that, unlike tour tournaments, there is a greater responsibility to invest in facilities and the overall match.
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A statement on behalf of the leading players said: “The leading players on the ATP and WTA tours welcome Wimbledon’s 2026 prize announcement as a real and significant step forward. The 20 per cent increase is the largest single-year increase in the tournament’s history and is a meaningful sign of intent.”
“The players want to see Wimbledon continue to thrive and support the investment the tournament puts into the game.
“The question was not whether these investments were worth it, but whether the athletes whose performances drove the Games’ global success should receive a fair share of the Games’ incredible economic growth.
“Our goal is not to undermine that success, but to ensure that its continued growth equitably benefits everyone who contributes to it.
“At the same time, the players have made it clear that while (Thursday’s) announcement is heartily welcomed, it still does not resolve the structural issues they have raised about the Grand Slams over the past year. Progress on those issues remains unresolved.”
This comes after prize money was increased by 9.5% from 2025, and after pre-tournament protests by some players at last month’s French Open, media activity was limited to 15 minutes each. This represents about 15% of the revenue generated at Roland Garros.
Players also called on Grand Slam tournaments to donate directly to the Player Welfare Fund, which covers long-term health, pensions and maternity protection. They want a “fair and transparent revenue sharing scheme” and are proposing the creation of a player council to “give players a meaningful say in decisions that affect them.”
The statement added that these issues “remain unresolved and there is no formal response.”
AEC Chair Debbie Jevans said Thursday of the issue of prize money:
“Certainly we want to put on a great Wimbledon for them, but it just doesn’t make sense to use the proceeds to determine prize money. We’ve communicated that to[players representative]Larry Scott.”
“The revenue doesn’t take into account the investments we’ve made. We’re not-for-profit and it’s very different from the Masters 1000 event, where everything goes back into the sport.
“I’m frustrated that the message isn’t getting through.”
