Good news for the clay-court specialists, as the total prize money for the French Open, will go up by around 8 percent this year. Both the men's and women's champions winning 2.2 million euros ($2.7 million) each, an increase of 100,000 euros. This year's tournament in Paris is scheduled for May 27-June 10.
Roland Garros director Guy Forget says that the total prize money will reach 39.197 million euros ($48 million), an increase of about 3 million euros from last year. It is almost a 10 percent increase in the total prize money from the last edition of the pristine clay event.
Forget added that money for qualifying and first-round losers would again increase, with 40,000 euros for players who fall in the opening round – 5,000 euros more than 2017.
Surprisingly, despite the changes, the French Open still offers less prize money than other Grand Slam tournaments, after the Australian Open in January also increased prize money 10 percent with the champions claiming a record four million Australian dollars (2.5 million euros).
Wimbledon winners Roger Federer and Garbine Muguruza each took home £2.2 million (2.51 million euros) last year, while US Open champions Rafael Nadal and Sloane Stephens won $3.7 million (3 million euros) apiece.
(With AP Inputs)
