In a trend that continues to dispel the myth of tennis’s financial ills, those currently battling it out at the French Open in Paris can again look forward to improved paycheques at the climax of a Grand Slam. Like the three other marquee events on the tennis calendar — the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open — Roland Garros has continued to bolster its payouts year-on-year.
That fact may surprise many in the US where the sport’s profile has taken a hit since homegrown stars Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi were at the top of the rankings and household names through much of the 1990s. Instead, there is plenty of evidence that tennis’s expanding popularity across the globe has the sport in sturdy health.
The prize money at the French Open will rise to more than 25 million euros ($34.5 million) this year, an increase of 3 million euros ($4.1 million) from last year.
The men’s and women’s champions will receive 1.65 million euros each, 150,000 euros more than 2013, and losing finalists will receive 825,000 euros, a raise of 75,000 euros.
Tournament director and French Tennis Federation director Gilbert Ysern says “this notable increase in Roland Garros prize money is part of the plan that was put in place for 2013 until 2016.”
There are also notable increases for losers in the second, third and fourth rounds.
In the past two years, all four Grand Slams have dramatically increased their prize money. The French Open purse was boosted this year by $4.1 million to a total of $34 million. Wimbledon, which will take place at London’s historic All England Club next month, recently announced that their prize money is increasing by 10.8 percent to $42 million. That follows a staggering leap of 40 percent from the previous year. At the Australian Open earlier this year, the prize fund was increased from $20.3 million to $22 million.
Last year, the US Open, which in 2013 saw its fourth-highest attendance ever, unveiled an unprecedented commitment to raise prize money to $50 million by 2017. Tennis’s Grand Slams are seemingly locked in a frenzied competition to appease its performers, who have campaigned for a higher percentage of revenue to go their way. In 2012, the United States Tennis Federation (USTA) brought in $233 million in revenue from the US Open, an increase from $226 million the previous year.
Last year, the prize money went up from 18.7 million euros to 22 million euros.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are through to French Open fourth round.
Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic ran into a spot of bother at the French Open, dropping a set each and each needing more than three hours to reach the fourth round on Friday. The No3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska was knocked out 6-4, 6-4 by Croatia’s Ajla Tomljanovic, becoming the latest victim of a new generation of talent sweeping through the women’s draw.
The seventeen-time major winner Federer saw off Russian Dmitry Tursunov 7-5, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 and the Serbian No2 seed Djokovic, chasing the only major title to elude him, beat the Croatian Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4. “I am relieved and happy to be through to the next round,” said the No4 seed Federer, who wasted 17 break points.
