Indian Wells Is Ready To Increase Prize Money In 2013

Written by: Staff on 31st October 2012

Indian Wells Is Ready To Increase Prize Money In 2013

epa03151004 General view of the center court during the men's final match between John Isner (bottom) of the USA and Roger Federer of Switzerland at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 18 March 2012. EPA/MIKE NELSON |

Following the threat to boycott next January’s Australian Open because of the level of prize money paid to early round losers, the BNP Paribas Open to be staged in Indian Wells, California, two months later, is ready to increase its’ prize fund by $800,000.

Tennis News understands an offer has been made by the year’s opening Masters 1000 series event to pay the first-round losers about $13,000 as a significant nod to the players’ desire for a greater share farther down the pecking order.

Tournament owner Larry Ellison, one of the richest men in the United States, has backed the cause argued so well by the world’s leading players such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray to the Grand Slam chairmen at his event earlier this year.

The ATP World Tour and WTA boards will still have to ratify the increase that follows the trend set by the major tournaments who have heeded the pleas from the players for a greater spread of the wealth that they generate.

In cold hard figures, $13,000 for a first-round loss in Indian Wells is only $10,000 less than the US Open paid this year and a marked increase on its own 2012 valuation of $7,709.

The Times of London reported that an increase will be greeted with huge acclaim across the board as the first time that a leading event outside of the majors has responded in this way and a mark of the subtle pressure that has been applied.

This year, Indian Wells stepped out of line with the rest of the tour’s prize-money awards by paying the men’s and women’s champions, Roger Federer and Victoria Azarenka, $1 million each.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Australian Open, BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells Tennis News, Sports, Tennis News, tennis prize money