At long last, all four Grand Slam championships will pay both the men and women equal prizes. Wimbledon has yielded to the pressures of modern day and follows the example set at last year’s French Open, paying the male and female champions on an equal scale. Wimbledon’s exact prize amounts will be announced in April. The All England Club will spend about $1.1 million to award the men’s and women’s winners equitably. The extra cost will be funded through operating costs rather than a reduction in the amount of the overall prizes.
Pioneer for women’s sports and six-time Wimbledon winner Billie Jean King commented, “With women and men paid on an equal scale, it demonstrates to the rest of the world that this is the right thing to do for the sport, the tournament and the world.” At Wimbledon in 1968, King won only 37.5% of the prize earned by the men’s champion.
Commercial, political, social, and sporting factors figured into Wimbledon’s decision. Previously the club felt equal prizes were unfair because men play best-of-five set matches while the women play only three. However, since 55% of Wimbledon’s spectators are women and the All England Club plans to host the 2012 Olympic tennis tournament, now seems like the time for change.
