The Grand Slam tournaments are the crown jewels of tennis, not just for their thrilling matches but for their massive prize pools. In 2025, the Australian Open is making headlines with a record-breaking $59 million prize fund. But behind the impressive figures lies a complex economic model, where players receive only a small fraction of the revenues. Here’s everything you need to know about the money in tennis.
How Much Prize Money Does Each Grand Slam Offer in 2025?
In 2025, Grand Slam prize money is at an all-time high. Here’s a breakdown:
- Australian Open: Offering A$96.5 million ($59 million USD), an 11.56% increase from 2024. Singles champions will each earn A$3.5 million ($2.17 million USD).
- French Open: Expected to surpass 2024’s prize fund of €49.6 million (~$52 million USD).
- Wimbledon: In 2024, it offered £50 million (~$63.9 million USD), with an increase likely in 2025.
- US Open: Held the largest purse in 2024, totaling $75 million. Champions earned $3.6 million each, with more growth expected this year.
While these figures are impressive, the players’ share of revenues tells a different story.
How Much of the Revenue Goes to Players?
Despite the growing prize funds, players receive a relatively small cut of Grand Slam revenues.
- Australian Open: Prize money accounts for 15-20% of Tennis Australia’s event revenue.
- US Open: In 2023, its $65 million prize pool was just 12% of its $514 million revenue.
In comparison, athletes in leagues like the NFL and NBA typically receive around 50% of league revenues. The disparity has been a point of contention among players for years.
Why Is the Players’ Cut So Low?
Grand Slam organizers argue that tennis has unique financial demands. Much of their revenue is reinvested into the sport:
- Junior Development: Funding grassroots programs to nurture future talent.
- Regional Tournaments: Supporting smaller events like Brisbane, Adelaide, and Hobart.
- Facility Upgrades: Maintaining world-class venues to enhance the tournament experience.
For example, Tennis Australia uses Australian Open revenue to fund not only other tournaments but also programs like the United Cup. While these investments benefit the sport, they also limit the share available for players.
What Are Players Saying About This?
Leading players, including Novak Djokovic, have been vocal about the need for a larger revenue share. Djokovic, co-founder of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), highlighted the gap during a press conference this year:
“The pie split in tennis is way lower than in other major sports. In the NFL, NBA, or MLB, it’s around 50 percent. Ours is much less,” Djokovic said.
The PTPA is actively working with antitrust lawyers to investigate whether the current structure of tennis is anti-competitive, aiming to negotiate a more equitable system for players.
How Do Non-Grand Slam Tournaments Compare?
Interestingly, players receive a larger share of revenues at ATP 1000-level tournaments, thanks to a profit-sharing model. At these events:
- Players earn 50% of the profits under an agreed formula that excludes certain revenues and deducts specific costs.
However, this model does not apply to the Grand Slams, which operate independently of the ATP and WTA tours.
A Historical Look at Prize Money in Tennis
The fight for fair compensation has a long history in tennis:
- 1968: The French Open became the first Grand Slam to offer prize money, with the men’s champion earning just $3,000.
- 1973: The US Open introduced equal prize money for men and women, a move led by Billie Jean King.
- 2007: Venus Williams’ advocacy resulted in Wimbledon and the French Open finally achieving gender pay parity.
While prize money has grown exponentially—Rafael Nadal earned $2.35 million for winning the 2018 French Open—the percentage of revenue allocated to players has remained largely unchanged.
What’s Next for Tennis Economics?
The PTPA and other advocates are pushing for structural changes in tennis to ensure players receive a fairer share of the profits. Events like the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, which debuted in 2024 with record-breaking payouts, are also challenging the status quo by offering players lucrative alternatives.
