Wimbledon on Friday was hailed as “a class act” after the tournament agreed to split £10 million (US$12.62 million) among the 620 players who would have taken part in the tournament had it not been canceled this year.
The All England Club said that based on world rankings, 224 players who would have competed in qualifying would each receive £12,500 while the 256 players who would have featured in main draw singles would get £25,000.
In doubles, it would be £6,250, for wheelchair events £6,000 per player and £5,000 for quad wheelchair competitors.
Photo: Reuters
“Amazing news - always a class act and leader of our sport. Well done @Wimbledon - can’t wait to be back next year,” tweeted former world No. 1 and four-time major singles winner Kim Clijsters.
Wimbledon, which was to play its finals this weekend, was in April canceled for the first time since World War II due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We know these months of uncertainty have been very worrying for the players, many of whom have faced financial difficulty during this period and who would have quite rightly anticipated the opportunity to earn prize money at Wimbledon based on their world ranking,” All England Club chief executive Richard Lewis said.
“We are pleased that our insurance policy has allowed us to recognize the impact of the cancelation on the players and that we are now in a position to offer this payment as a reward for the hard work they have invested in building their ranking to a point where they would have gained direct entry into The Championships 2020,” Lewis said.
Organizers would also distribute money to officials and some international umpires.
“Just when you thought you couldn’t love @Wimbledon any more,” tweeted Britain’s Marcus Willis, who reached the second round in 2016, where he lost to Roger Federer.
Willis was ranked No. 772 in the world at the time having played six rounds of qualifying.
His £50,000 prize money doubled his entire career earnings.
Meanwhile, the men’s singles seedings would revert to the world rankings at next year’s Wimbledon, after almost two decades of being based on grass-court form.
The All England Club said they had taken the decision after consultations with players’ groups.
Next year’s Wimbledon will is to run from June 28 to July 11.
“Given the quality of competition, entertainment and modern grass courts, following detailed discussion with the player groups, the AELTC [All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club] has decided that the grass court seeding formula used since 2002 has served its time,” the club said in a statement.
“From The Championships 2021, seeding for the gentlemen’s singles draw will be based solely on ranking. There will be no change to the method of seeding for the ladies’ singles draw,” it said.
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