Aussie Open Prize Money Could Hit $40 Million By 2016

Written by: Staff on 9th October 2012

Aussie Open Prize Money Could Hit $40 Million By 2016

epa03082674 Maria Sharapova (left on court) of Russia serves to Victoria Azarenka (right) of Belarus in their women's final match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 28 January 2012. Azarenka won the match in two sets. EPA/MARTIN PHILBEY |

Australian Open prize money could grow by another $10 million to $40 million by 2016 and a significant amount of that increase may end up going to players ranked outside of the top 50.

The Age reports that during meetings between Aussie Open tournament director Craig Tiley and the ATP Players Council in Shanghai this week that players were advised that there would be further substantial increases. The tournament recently announced an almost 18 percent rise in prize money in 2013 to $30 million.

”One of the things we mentioned to the council is that if you’re a player ranked around 40 in the world for 10 years, and you retire at 31, at some point you’re going to have to go and start a second career,” said Tiley, who would not confirm the amount of the increase from 2014-2016. ”Now for someone who’s been for 10 years the 40th best player in the profession, that should be their career, and even though they’re not playing they should be able to leverage and live off the success they had during that period. ‘As a sport, that’s not good enough, and we’re all responsible for that – the Grand Slams, the tours, the ITF.”

While ATP Player Council vice president Eric Butorac recently said that there will be no player boycott of the 2013 Australian Open and there does not appear to be any real threat of one, ATP Player Council president Roger Federer said that he Grand Slam prize money issue is not dead yet.

“It’s nice to see the Grand Slams talking to us, feel sort-of partners out there,” Federer said. ”Nothing is clear from this end. It was good to see the Australian Open making their move, showing that they truly care about us, the players. Now we’ll see where it takes us from here.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: ATP tennis news, Australian Open, Craig Tiley, Eric Butorac, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis News, tennis prize money