Wimbledon Announces Record Prize Pot for 2025 Championships
The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has announced a record prize pot for the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, with the winners of the singles titles set to take home £3million. This represents a £300,000 increase from the 2024 prize money, which was won by Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s singles and Barbora Krejcikova in the women’s singles.
According to The Independent, the total prize pot has increased from £50m to £53.5m, a 7 per cent jump, while first round losers will receive £66,000 – a 10 per cent increase from last year. The AELTC has defended the change to the start time of both singles finals, from its usual 2pm slot to 4pm this year. Doubles finals will now take place from 1pm.
The decision to change the start time was made after careful consideration, with AELTC chief executive Sally Bolton explaining that “the consideration of the change has taken a lot of time, took a lot of thought and a lot of data analysis went into the decision.” Bolton added that “it’s about an improved experience for all involved. Whether it’s the doubles finals having greater certainty over their schedule, whether it’s the fans having the opportunity to experience a day which builds to the crescendo of the singles finals.”
As reported by The Independent, the singles final will now start at 11am (ET) in New York, a more convenient start time for viewers stateside. This change comes after Alcaraz’s incredible Roland Garros final victory against Jannik Sinner, which took more than five hours. A similar length of final at Wimbledon this year would result in the roof being needed late on in the match, due to bad light.
The 2025 Championships will also see the absence of line judges, for the first time in the tournament’s 147-year history. Automated electronic line calling, via Hawk-Eye, will be used on all 18 match courts. Line umpires in previous years have been invited back to assist the chair umpire as “match assistants.” This decision sees Wimbledon fall in line with the ATP Tour by installing electronic line calling, although Roland Garros opted for tradition by keeping in-person line umpires during the French Open.
The 2025 Wimbledon Championships will take place from Monday 30 June to Sunday 13 July. With a record prize pot and changes to the schedule, this year’s tournament is set to be an exciting and historic event. As The Independent previously reported, the increase in prize money and changes to the schedule are aimed at improving the experience for players, fans, and viewers alike.
As quoted in The Independent, Sally Bolton explained that the primary drivers behind the changes were “about an improved experience for all involved.” The AELTC has clearly taken steps to ensure that the 2025 Championships are a success, with a focus on providing a better experience for all involved. With the tournament just around the corner, fans and players alike will be eagerly anticipating the start of play on June 30.
Source link
