Australian Open 2026: Increased prize money but some players still hold concerns

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CoreOrbit

The Australian Open has announced a record-breaking prize pot of £55m, but some players are expressing disappointment that this increase does not represent a greater share of the Grand Slam's total revenue. The new figure represents a 16% rise on last year's total prize money of A$111.5m. While the singles champions will receive $4.15m (£2.05m), which is a 19% increase, players are still unhappy that their demands for more substantial increases have largely been ignored.

The Australian Open now offers more than Wimbledon (£53.5m) and the French Open (£47.5m) did in 2025, but it still lags behind the US Open (£67.4m). Tennis Australia's chief executive Craig Tiley has stated that the increased prize money demonstrates a commitment to supporting tennis careers at every level.

However, top players such as Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Alexander Zverev are among those who have been asking for the entire field of players to receive a higher ratio of prize money to revenue. They also want more consultation about the structure of the sport and increased contributions from Grand Slams into pension, healthcare, and maternity pots.

The leading players have asked each Grand Slam for staged increases over the next five years, eventually aiming for closer to 22% like some ATP and WTA combined tour events. The Australian Open begins in Melbourne on January 18th.
 
I'm kinda surprised that the Aussie Open is offering more prize money than Wimbledon now 💸. I get why players want a bigger share of the revenue, it's only fair that they're not getting left behind. Sinner, Sabalenka and Zverev are all superstars on the court but apparently, their voices aren't being heard enough in the backroom deals 🤔. It'll be interesting to see how this affects the sport as a whole - more money should mean better players and more competitive matches, right? I do love that Craig Tiley is committed to supporting tennis careers at every level though ❤️.
 
I FEEL LIKE THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN IS TRYING TO BE ALL ABOUT THE PRIZE MONEY THOUGH 🤑🎾. IT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD THAT THEY'RE GIVING TOP PLAYERS A LITTLE MORE, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, £55M IS STILL JUST A SMALL BUMP ON THE SIDE OF £67.4M FOR THE US OPEN. I MEAN, CAN'T WE GET OUR PLAYERS' DEMANDS RIGHT FOR ONCE? 🤔💸
 
I feel bad for those top players 😔. I get that the £55m prize pot is a big jump, but it's still less than Wimbledon and the US Open 🤔. It's like, if you're gonna put more money into tennis, shouldn't everyone benefit? 🤑 Not just the singles champions who are already set for life 💸.

I mean, I'm all for Tennis Australia showing support for careers at every level, but it feels like they're not listening to what the players really need 👂. It's like, we get that you want to improve tennis, but don't forget about the rest of us who are working our hearts out on the court 💪.

I wish more people would talk about this stuff 🤷‍♀️. We should be discussing how we can make the Grand Slams more sustainable for everyone, not just the top players 🌎.
 
OMG 🤯 I'm literally dying over here! Like, £55m is insane!!! 🤑 I know some players are salty that it's not more but cmon guys you gotta be realistic 🙄. We already got the Aussie Open making up for Wimbledon and French Open, now let's just get to 22% like the ATP/WTA events 💸👍. Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Alex Zverev are literally the best 😍. I love that they're fighting for the players too 👊🏽💪 it's about time we saw some real change in tennis 🎾💥
 
🤔 I think tennis is getting more expensive than a match-day ticket 🎟️. All these top players wanting more money & benefits, but still the prize pot's not growing that fast... like, £55m's cool and all 🤑, but what about the other players who aren't in the top 10? They're stuck with less 💸. I get it, they want better support for tennis careers, but some of these demands feel a bit... greedy 😒.

Maybe if the Grand Slams shared their revenue more, everyone would be happy 🤝. Like, Wimbledon & Australian Open are close on prize money now, which is cool 🏰🎾, but still not as much as US Open 💸. And what about those players who just want a fair share? They feel like they're being left out of the conversation 🗣️.

I dunno, maybe it's time for tennis to re-think its revenue structure and give everyone a bigger slice 🍰. It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out in Melbourne 🎾👀
 
omg i cant believe they only went up by 16% 🤯 thats not even close to what the top players are asking for lol they want a bigger share of the revenue, like what's fair right? its gonna be interesting to see how it all plays out, but ugh these guys need to get their act together already 😒
 
I think it's kinda weird that they're not offering more prize money, especially since Wimbledon is already behind them... 🤔 But at the same time, I feel for the players - they want to make sure everyone gets a fair share and that their careers are being supported in more ways than just prize money. It's like, yeah, we get it, £55m is a lot of cash, but what about the everyday stuff like pension and healthcare? 🤑
 
ummm so like i'm not really surprised that top players are all upset about this prize pot thingy... £55m is def a big increase but it's still only like 10% of the total revenue for the Australian Open 🤑... i mean can you imagine if they were to get like 22% of the revenue? that would be insane 💸 but at the same time, players are right to want more say in how the sport is run and like a bigger share of the money. tennis australia's ceo seems to think that £55m is gonna support all tennis careers but like, what about the lower ranked players 🤔... and it would be cool if the grand slams were to contribute more to pension & healthcare & maternity leave pots... that would be really amazing for women players who have a harder time balancing work & family life 🎾💕
 
[Image of Grumpy Cat with a tennis racket and a sad face]

[Aryna Sabalenka shrugging emoji] 🤷‍♀️

[The Meme Dropper's reaction: disappointed player faces, sad emojis 😔💔]

[Tennis ball bouncing into a empty space, symbolizing missed opportunities] 💥
 
OMG u guys can't believe the Aussie Open just dropped a £55m prize pot ?? I'm literally SO hyped! Like, it's still not as much as Wimbledon or the US Open but at least they're trying right? 🙌 I mean, Craig Tiley says it shows commitment to supporting tennis careers and i think that's so cool ❤️. But those top players are like, totally justified in asking for more lol. 22% is a pretty big ask tho... maybe they can get it next year 🤞. Can't wait for the tournament to start on Jan 18th! Will be tuning in all day long 📺💥
 
I'm low-key surprised they're only getting a 19% increase, feels like not enough considering how big tennis is right now 🤑. I get what the top players are saying about wanting more for everyone, especially pension and healthcare stuff - it's all good 👍. But £55m prize pot? That's still pretty impressive compared to some other sports 💸. Maybe they'll get more in the future, fingers crossed! 😅
 
I'm a bit surprised by all these top players wanting more, I mean, £55m is still pretty massive, right? 🤑 But you can't blame them for wanting a bigger share of the revenue pie. It's not just about the prize money, it's also about the pension and healthcare benefits that come with being a pro tennis player. Those things add up quickly and players are looking out for their own future. I think Tennis Australia is trying to make amends by offering more support at lower levels of the sport, which is great, but the top dogs want more and they're willing to speak up about it. A 22% ratio seems like a pretty reasonable ask, especially considering how much these players put on the line each year. It's all about finding that balance between keeping the sport competitive and making sure everyone who enters is fairly compensated...
 
I'm so with the top players on this one 🤔. A 16% increase is nice I guess but £55m prize pot doesn't mean much if most of us are still getting peanuts compared to the revenue. It's like, we're the ones out there giving our blood and sweat every time we step onto that court... shouldn't we get a bigger slice of the pie? 🍕💸
 
Ugh 🤦‍♂️ I just can't believe the top players are complaining again 😒. Like, they're getting paid millions already! Do they really think we need to shell out even more dosh for their pensions and healthcare? 💸 It's not like they're paying for this themselves. And what's with all these demands for "consultation" and increased "contributions"? 🤔 Can't they just chill and be grateful for the prize money they already get? I mean, the Aussie Open is offering a pretty sweet deal at £55m... some of us might be like, yeah, that sounds alright to me 😊.
 
I'm tellin' ya, £55m is peanuts compared to what I used to see at Wimbledon back in my day 🤦‍♂️🎾. Now, I get it, the prize money has gone up, but it's still not enough for these top players, innit? 😔 They're makin' bank, sure, but they wanna know if they can actually make a decent livin' from tennis now. And another thing, why should they just take what's given to 'em and be grateful? They deserve more, especially with all the hard work and sacrifices they put into the sport 🏆💪.

I mean, I remember when you could buy a decent ticket to the Australian Open for like £20-£30 💸, now it's £100+ and that's just not right. The prices are sky-high and it's takin' the love outta the game, if you ask me 🎟️😐.

Tennis Australia's tryin', I'll give 'em that, but these players know what they're doin'. They wanna see a fairer split of the profits, or at least some more consultation about how to make tennis more sustainable and profitable for everyone involved 🤝🏼💻.
 
omg i feel u guys! £55m is def a big increase but still not enough for all players 🤯 especially the top ones who deserve more 💸 they're making all that cash on our screens and it's time they get rewarded 💕 can't wait to see what 2025 brings for tennis 💪
 
omg, £55m prize pot is defo a win but gotta feel for these players who are struggling with the pay gap 🤕 they're basically saying the Aussie Open is still playing catch up with the US Open 🙄 and those top players have valid points about needing more support from the Grand Slams in terms of career development, pensions & healthcare 💸 it's like, if they wanna attract the best talent then they need to show that they care about their welfare too 🌟
 
I'm lowkey shocked they're not getting more out of that $$$ 😒. I mean, we know the top players are crushing it but they still feel underpaid? It's like, come on, you guys are making bank and then you ask for a bigger cut? 🤑 Not saying it's unfair or anything but 22% increase seems reasonable to me... maybe I'm just not paying attention. What do u think tho? Should they be getting more $$$? 🤔
 
🤔 £55m is still peanuts compared to what those other grand slams are throwing around 🤑 and yet, people are complaining about the players not getting a bigger share of it 💸. I mean, I get it, these guys are killing it on court and deserve more, but come on, they're not exactly starving 🍔👀. It's all about supply and demand, right? The Aussie Open has to make some sacrifices if the other events can throw around that kind of cash 💸💥
 
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