The Wimbledon 2025 championship is set to begin on June 30 with a hefty increase in prize money and changes to the tournament’s structure. The All England Club (AELTC) has addressed players’ concerns while eyeing broader reforms in professional tennis. Following are all the details.
Prize money hits record highs
The prize fund of Wimbledon 2025 has been increased to £53.5 million ( ₹610 crore). It is a whopping 7% jump from 2024 and double what was offered a decade ago in 2015.
Men’s and women’s singles
Men’s and women’s singles champions will each pocket £3 million ( ₹34 crore), around 11.1% more than last year, making it the highest payout among Grand Slams. Players who will be knocked out in the first round of singles will earn £66,000 ( ₹75 lakh), a 10% increase.
Other events
Doubles, mixed doubles, and wheelchair events will see a boost of 4.4%, 4.3%, and 5.6%, respectively.
Reason for the increase in prize money
The surge in the prize fund comes after top players, including many in the global top 20, asked for a bigger share of Grand Slam revenues.
“We have listened to the players, we have engaged with the players,” said AELTC chair Deborah Jevans, highlighting the club’s response to their demands.
Tennis’s Challenges
While the prize money boost is welcome, Jevans emphasized that it does not fix deeper issues related to the sport. “The challenge with tennis is the fact that players don’t have an off-season which they want, they have increasing injuries that they’re speaking about,” she said.
New time slots for finals
Wimbledon has also changed the timings of the men’s and women’s singles finals to 4 pm local time (8:30 pm IST), two hours later than before. Notably, the Doubles finals will start at 1 pm local time (5:30 pm IST).
AELTC chief executive Sally Bolton backed the shift, saying it elevates the experience. “Whether that’s the doubles finalists 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 or ensuring that we have our champions crowned in front of the widest possible audience,” she said.
No more line judges
In a historic move, Wimbledon will not include line judges for electronic line calling, a first for the tournament. “The time is right to move on,” Bolton stated.
About 80 former line judges will become match assistants, aiding umpires and stepping in if the system falters. This change blends accuracy with Wimbledon’s commitment to quality.
