Posted at 6:18 a.m., Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Wimbledon male, female champs to earn $1.4 million
Associated Press
WIMBLEDON, England — The total purse at Wimbledon will be 8.7 percent more than last year, with the male and female champion each taking home $1.4 million.The only Grand Slam tournament on grass will offer total prize money of $22,572,011. The increase reflects female and male competitors getting equal pay from the first round to the final for the first time since it began paying players in 1968. Wimbledon announced the pay equity on Feb. 22.
"No tennis tournament has ever offered higher prize money than Wimbledon in 2007," All England Club chairman Tim Phillips said.
Roger Federer earned $1.17 million in winning last year's tournament, while Amelie Mauresmo took home $1.11 million.
Wimbledon, which runs from June 25 to July 8, also announced it would use Hawk-Eye technology for the first time, subject to final testing in May. It will be used on Centre Court and court No. 1 only, with the existing cyclops technology moved to courts two, 18 and 14.
Because of plans to install a retractable roof over Centre Court, the main venue has no roof this year. It will be the first time in the building's 85-year history that no roof will be on Centre Court.
Next year, there will be a non-moveable roof, with a 65-by-70-meter hydraulic roof to be completed by 2009, with the capacity increasing to 15,000 from 13,800.
Wimbledon also announced plans for a new Court No. 2, to be built in time for the 2009 event.
