Story perspectives

Wimbledon Boosts Prize Money 20% to £64.2 m Amid Player Protests

6/28/2026

Summary

Wimbledon Boosts Prizes

Wimbledon raised total prize money by 20% to £64.2 million ($85 million), its biggest annual increase.
Players continued protest by limiting media interviews.
Players noted revenue share fell to 14.4%, down from 14.9% ten years earlier.
American Jessica Pegula said the increase was productive but did not fully meet players’ demands.
Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, Australian Alex de Minaur and British Cameron Norrie each praised the increase, calling it a great start or huge.

Summary

Players Threaten Boycott

Aryna Sabalenka warned players want to avoid another Grand Slam media boycott after this year’s protest.
Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff and others are pressing Wimbledon for pensions and maternity-leave benefits.
Lower-ranked players say the revenue split hinders hiring essential staff such as personal coaches.
Some players exceeded the 15-minute interview limit because they approved Wimbledon’s 20% prize-money increase.

Summary

Players Demand

The All England Club announced investing hundreds of millions of pounds in a three-year upgrade of facilities, while Wimbledon’s player-council proposal was rejected by protesting players.
Larry Scott represents players demanding a larger revenue share and better welfare.
Alex De Minaur, Alexander Zverev and Ben Shelton said they would not join the media protest, while Aryna Sabalenka said she consulted a psychologist after her French Open quarter-final loss.

History

Historical Context

In May 1973 the Yugoslav federation suspended Nikola Pilic, prompting the ATP to vote a boycott that saw 81 top players—including 13 of the 16 seeds—withdraw from Wimbledon. The protest forced the ILTF to shorten the suspension and highlighted player power over tournament economics. Today, similar demands from Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner echo that 1973 precedent.

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Wimbledon Boosts Prizes

Wimbledon raised total prize money by 20% to £64.2 million ($85 million), its biggest annual increase.
Players continued protest by limiting media interviews.
Players noted revenue share fell to 14.4%, down from 14.9% ten years earlier.
American Jessica Pegula said the increase was productive but did not fully meet players’ demands.
Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, Australian Alex de Minaur and British Cameron Norrie each praised the increase, calling it a great start or huge.

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