Women again paid less than men at Wimbledon
Women will again receive less prize money than the men at this year's Wimbledon championships, tournament organisers announced on Tuesday.
The men's champion will win 525,000 pounds ($760,600) following an across-the-board increase of five percent, 39,000 pounds more than the women's champion.
In money terms the discrepancy has grown. Last year Venus Williams picked up 37,500 pounds less than the 500,000 pounds that men's champion Goran Ivanisevic won.
All England Club chairman Tim Phillips rejected claims that the grass court tournament was out of touch. The Australian and U.S. Opens both award equal prize money although the French Open still pays the men more.
"I think the U.S. and Australian Opens are out of line, not us," he said. "There are not many other tournaments that pay equal prize money, in fact not many other sporting events pay equally.
Last year the U.S. Open paid both men's and women's champions $850,000, the largest prize in grand slam tennis.
Australian Open officials followed suit, paying both champions a top prize of A$1 million ($538,800).
GREATEST DISCREPANCY
Although the French also pay the women more, the discrepancy is greatest at Wimbledon -- at $56,530 it is more than three times greater than the difference in Paris.
The Roland Garros men's champion is paid 780,000 Euros ($693,300) while the women's champion collects 760,000 Euros ($675,500) -- a difference of just $17,800.
Phillips said the club had met the Women's Tennis Association's chief Josh Ripple on Monday and that while no negotiations were held, discussions regarding the prize money took place.
"Of course this remains a priority for the WTA... I don't think there can be any doubt about that.
"But we think we are being fair," he said.
Over the last few years, as the women's game has mushroomed in popularity, some of their leading lights have become increasingly outspoken at what they see as sexist treatment.
Last year Venus Williams, who will be gunning for her third consecutive Wimbledon title in nine weeks' time, asked: "Why would you even want to play in a place that doesn't give you equal prize money with the men.
"The ladies need to get together on this one."
Lindsay Davenport, champion in 1999, warned that a walkout could be a possible future payback for past and present slights, but despite threats of boycotts, or as Billie Jean King calls them "girlcotts", Wimbledon remains defiant.
"This year there has not been any major hoo-haa about it," Phillips said when asked of a possible backlash.
"We think we are being fair. I don't see it changing in the foreseeable future."
The extra five per cent overall means the total money on offer at Wimbledon this year will be 8,825,320 pounds ($12.79 million) whereas the French Open has increased its prize fund by more than 10 per cent to 12 million euros ($10.67 million).
