Tennis-Queen's Club women's tournament to offer equal prize money by 2029
(Reuters) -Women's players will receive equal prize money to their male counterparts for competing at Queen's Club and Eastbourne by 2029, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) said on Thursday.
The women's event will return to the Queen's Club Championships this year for the first time in over half a century.
The prize money for the women's event will be $1.415m, the highest for a WTA 500 event of its draw size on the tour, but still less than half of the men's prize money of 2.5 million euros ($2.87 million).
In a statement, the LTA said it would "fully close the gap between WTA and ATP prize money at these events no later than 2029.
"This year the WTA 500 prize money at the (Queen's Club) Championships will rise to a record $1.415m...
"Whilst the WTA 250 prize money at the Eastbourne Open will rise to $389,000 – making this the highest paying WTA 250 event anywhere on the tour."
The Queen's Club women's event will be held in the first week of the grasscourt season from June 9-15 and will feature Australian Open champion Madison Keys, former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina and 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu.
The WTA 250 event in Eastbourne will take place from June 23-28, in the week before Wimbledon.
"We are making significant increases this year to the women's prize money at Queen's and Eastbourne and want to achieve equal prize money as soon as possible," LTA chief executive Scott Lloyd said in a statement.
"The LTA is committed to growing women's tennis, both at professional and grass-roots level and this move is an important part of that commitment."
On Thursday, Japanese four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka and world number three Jessica Pegula of the United States withdrew from the Queen's Club Championships.
($1 = 0.8701 euros)
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
11 hours ago
- The Sun
Djokovic Hints at Roland Garros Farewell After Sinner Loss
NOVAK DJOKOVIC suggested he may well have bidden adieu to Roland Garros after the 38-year-old was defeated in the semi-finals by Jannik Sinner on Friday. Following his 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) loss to world number one Sinner, Djokovic stopped briefly on his way off Court Philippe Chatrier and took a moment to 'show his gratitude' to the Paris crowd. 'This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don't know. That's why I was a bit more emotional even in the end,' said three-time champion Djokovic. 'But if this was the farewell match of Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd. 'Not the happiest because of the loss, but, you know, I tried to show my gratitude to the crowd, because they were terrific.' Djokovic has on occasion had a fraught relationship with the Parisian public, but hailed the backing he received against Sinner. 'I don't think I have ever received this much support in this stadium in my career in big matches against the best players in the world. So very, very honoured to experience that,' he added. 'Keep on keeping on' However, the Serb allayed fears he would be calling time on his career just yet. He stills stands on the brink of history after his latest tilt at a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title was foiled. One more major victory would take him beyond Margaret Court and into outright-first on the list of players with the most Grand Slams. 'At the moment I will try to stick with the plan what I had, which is play the Grand Slams,' he said. 'Those tournaments are the priorities of my schedule, my calendar. Wimbledon and US Open, yes, they are in plans. That's all I can say right now. 'I'm going to, unless something, I don't know, happens, whatever. But I feel like I want to play Wimbledon, I want to play US Open. Those two, for sure. For the rest, I'm not so sure.' Despite the latest setback, Djokovic insisted he still has the record in his sights and hoped it will be seventh time lucky when Wimbledon starts on June 30. 'Obviously Wimbledon is next, which is my childhood favourite tournament. I'm going to do everything possible to get myself ready,' he said. 'I guess my best chances (of winning) maybe are Wimbledon, you know, to win another Slam, or faster hard court, maybe Australia or something like that.' Djokovic has won the title at Wimbledon seven times and is the the most dominant men's player in the history of the Australian Open with 10 victories in Melbourne. When asked how long he had been considering his future at Roland Garros, Djokovic cryptically replied: 'Not long. You know, I don't know. 'I don't know really what tomorrow brings in a way at this point in my career. You know, I going to keep on keeping on.' Djokovic has appeared in the last 21 editions of the French Open -- lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires in 2016, 2021 and 2023. Last summer, he secured the only big title to have eluded him through the majority of his career when he won Olympic gold on centre court at Roland Garros. 'We hope that it's not the case, because I feel like tennis needs him in a way,' said Sinner when told of Djokovic's comments. 'He said 'maybe', so you never know.'
The Sun
11 hours ago
- The Sun
Honoured' Djokovic hints at possible Roland Garros farewell after semi-final loss
NOVAK DJOKOVIC suggested he may well have bidden adieu to Roland Garros after the 38-year-old was defeated in the semi-finals by Jannik Sinner on Friday. Following his 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) loss to world number one Sinner, Djokovic stopped briefly on his way off Court Philippe Chatrier and took a moment to 'show his gratitude' to the Paris crowd. 'This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don't know. That's why I was a bit more emotional even in the end,' said three-time champion Djokovic. 'But if this was the farewell match of Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd. 'Not the happiest because of the loss, but, you know, I tried to show my gratitude to the crowd, because they were terrific.' Djokovic has on occasion had a fraught relationship with the Parisian public, but hailed the backing he received against Sinner. 'I don't think I have ever received this much support in this stadium in my career in big matches against the best players in the world. So very, very honoured to experience that,' he added. ' Keep on keeping on' However, the Serb allayed fears he would be calling time on his career just yet. He stills stands on the brink of history after his latest tilt at a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title was foiled. One more major victory would take him beyond Margaret Court and into outright-first on the list of players with the most Grand Slams. 'At the moment I will try to stick with the plan what I had, which is play the Grand Slams,' he said. 'Those tournaments are the priorities of my schedule, my calendar. Wimbledon and US Open, yes, they are in plans. That's all I can say right now. 'I'm going to, unless something, I don't know, happens, whatever. But I feel like I want to play Wimbledon, I want to play US Open. Those two, for sure. For the rest, I'm not so sure.' Despite the latest setback, Djokovic insisted he still has the record in his sights and hoped it will be seventh time lucky when Wimbledon starts on June 30. 'Obviously Wimbledon is next, which is my childhood favourite tournament. I'm going to do everything possible to get myself ready,' he said. 'I guess my best chances (of winning) maybe are Wimbledon, you know, to win another Slam, or faster hard court, maybe Australia or something like that.' Djokovic has won the title at Wimbledon seven times and is the the most dominant men's player in the history of the Australian Open with 10 victories in Melbourne. When asked how long he had been considering his future at Roland Garros, Djokovic cryptically replied: 'Not long. You know, I don't know. 'I don't know really what tomorrow brings in a way at this point in my career. You know, I going to keep on keeping on.' Djokovic has appeared in the last 21 editions of the French Open -- lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires in 2016, 2021 and 2023. Last summer, he secured the only big title to have eluded him through the majority of his career when he won Olympic gold on centre court at Roland Garros. 'We hope that it's not the case, because I feel like tennis needs him in a way,' said Sinner when told of Djokovic's comments. 'He said 'maybe', so you never know.'
The Sun
11 hours ago
- The Sun
Sabalenka, Gauff Set for Epic French Open Final Showdown
WORLD NUMBER one Aryna Sabalenka targets a French Open title that would 'mean the world' in a tantalising final against second-ranked Coco Gauff at Roland Garros on Saturday. It will be the first time the world's top two players have met in a women's Grand Slam final since Caroline Wozniacki defeated Simona Halep to win the 2018 Australian Open. Sabalenka and Gauff faced off in the 2023 US Open final, when the Belarusian led by a set before imploding as the then-teenager Gauff claimed her maiden major title. Their head-to-head record is locked at 5-5, although Sabalenka came out on top in their last meeting in the Madrid Open final last month. The top seed will be playing in her first Slam final not on hard courts. 'In the past I don't know how many years, we've been able to develop my game so much, so I feel really comfortable on this surface and actually enjoy playing on clay,' she said after ending Iga Swiatek's bid for a fourth successive Roland Garros triumph in the semi-finals. 'If I'll be able to get this trophy, it's just going to mean the world for us. 'I'm ready to go in that final and to fight, fight for every point and give everything I have to give to get the win.' Sabalenka snapped Swiatek's 26-match winning run at the French Open with a devastating deciding set that she took 6-0 in just 22 minutes. But the 27-year-old knows it will not be easy against Gauff, who has always been comfortable on clay and has reached at least the quarter-finals in five successive appearances in the tournament. 'It was a big match (against Swiatek), and it felt like a final, but I know that the job is not done yet, and I have to go out there on Saturday, and I have to fight and I have to bring my best tennis,' added three-time major champion Sabalenka. 'I have to work for that title, especially if it's going to be Coco.' Gauff hoping to stay 'calm' Gauff is hoping to become only the third player to win two women's Grand Slam titles before the age of 22 since Maria Sharapova added the 2006 US Open to her famous 2004 Wimbledon win. The others are Swiatek and former world number one Naomi Osaka. It will be the 21-year-old's second Roland Garros final after she was left in tears following a heavy defeat by Swiatek in 2022. 'Obviously here I have a lot more confidence just from playing a Grand Slam final before and doing well in one,' said Gauff. 'I think going into Saturday I'll just give it my best shot and try to be as calm and relaxed as possible.' Sabalenka will be playing in her seventh WTA final of the year, the most by any player at this stage of a season since Serena Williams -- who beat Sharapova to win the title in Paris -- in 2013. Gauff says Sabalenka's power has helped her build a commanding lead at the top of the world rankings. 'I think obviously her ball striking, she can come up with some big shots and big winners pretty much at all areas of the court, so I think her ball striking and also her mentality, she's a fighter as well, she's going to stay in the match regardless of the scoreline.' Gauff is in her first Slam final since beating Sabalenka in New York two years ago, having suffered two semi-final losses since, including to Swiatek at Roland Garros 12 months ago. 'It feels kinda fast, to be honest. US Open doesn't feel like too long ago,' she said.
