2026 Total Prize Pools
| Event | Total Prize Money | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open 2026 | A$111.5M (~$79M) | January | Tournament record, +16% on 2025 |
| Roland Garros 2026 | €61.723M (~$71M) | May-June | Includes singles, doubles, mixed, wheelchair; +9.5% on 2025 |
| Wimbledon 2026 | £64.2M (~$86M) | June-July | +20% on 2025; average +22% across the singles draw |
| US Open 2026 | $108M | August-September | First Grand Slam ever to cross $100M in total prize money |
Singles Prize Money by Round (2026)
All four Slams pay equal amounts to men's and women's singles winners (since 2007). Below: approximate per-round figures in each Slam's native currency.
| Round Reached | AO 🇦🇺 | RG 🇫🇷 | Wim 🇬🇧 | USO 🇺🇸 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | A$4.15M | €2.8M | £3.6M | $5.5M |
| Finalist | A$2.15M | €1.4M | £1.8M | $2.8M |
| Semifinalist | A$1.25M | €750K | £900K | $1.45M |
| Quarterfinalist | A$750K | €470K | £480K | $780K |
| Round of 16 | A$480K | €285K | £300K | $480K |
| Round of 32 | A$327.75K | €187K | £185K | $290K |
| Round of 64 | A$225K | €130K | £126K | $190K |
| Round of 128 (first-round) | A$150K | €87K | £80K | $140K |
Note: qualifying-round prize money (for players competing to enter the main draw) is paid separately. At the 2026 Australian Open, for example, qualifying payouts were A$40,500 (Q1), A$57,000 (Q2), and A$83,500 (Q3, the final qualifying round) — each up 16% on 2025. Exact qualifying figures vary by Slam; check each tournament's official prize money page for the other three.
Beyond Singles: Where the Rest of the Pool Goes
Singles draws absorb the majority of each Slam's prize pool — but not all of it. The remaining ~30% is split across:
| Category | Share of Pool | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Singles | ~70% | 128 main draw + 128 qualifying. Champion gets the biggest single check. |
| Doubles | ~12-15% | Champion teams typically earn $700K-$1M per Slam (split between the two players). |
| Mixed doubles | ~2-3% | Champion team typically earns $200K-$400K combined. |
| Qualifying singles | ~5-7% | Players who reach main draw via qualifying earn $25-50K just for the run. |
| Wheelchair singles + doubles | ~3-5% | Equal prize money increases each year; now well above $500K for singles champions. |
Champion's Check Over Time: 1968-2026
Tracking the Wimbledon and US Open singles champion's check across the Open Era shows how dramatically the sport's economics have grown:
| Year | Wimbledon Champion | US Open Champion | Era |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | £2,000 | $14,000 | Open Era begins |
| 1980 | £20,000 | $46,000 | Borg-McEnroe era |
| 1990 | £230,000 | $350,000 | Sampras era |
| 2000 | £477,500 | $800,000 | Pete Sampras 7th Wimbledon |
| 2010 | £1.0M | $1.7M | Federer-Nadal era peak |
| 2015 | £1.88M | $3.3M | Big Three dominance |
| 2020 | — (canceled) | $3.0M | COVID year |
| 2025 | £3.0M | $3.6M | Modern figures |
| 2026 | £3.6M | $5.5M | Record figures — Wimbledon +20% YoY, US Open crosses $100M total pool |
From 1968 (£2,000 at Wimbledon) to 2026 (£3,000,000), the champion's check has grown roughly 1,500-fold. Even adjusting for inflation (£2,000 in 1968 ≈ £40,000 in 2026), the real-terms increase is about 75×. The drivers: global TV deals, sponsorship inflation, women's sports investment growth, and competitive pressure between the four Slams to maintain prestige.
How Tennis Prize Money Compares to Other Sports
Tennis is one of the most lucrative individual sports for the top players, but compared to team sports it's more uneven:
- Golf majors — Masters 2026 champion: ~$3.6M; PGA Championship: ~$3.3M; comparable to tennis Slams.
- Formula 1 — top drivers earn $40-70M/year in base salary alone, but FIA prize money is far smaller. F1 economics are more team-based.
- Boxing pay-per-view — major fights can pay $50-150M+ per bout. Tennis Slams pay less per event but happen four times a year for every player who qualifies.
- NBA / NFL / Premier League — top players earn $50-100M+ salary (without prize money structures). Tennis's prize-money model is more meritocratic but less consistent.