The Return of Women’s Tennis to The Queen’s Club
The return of women’s tennis to The Queen’s Club in Baron’s Court, London, marks a significant milestone, as it has been over 50 years since the sport was last played on those grass courts. Next week, this historic venue will host a WTA 500 tournament, just a week before the traditional men’s ATP 500 event. Among the notable players competing are Madison Keys, Elena Rybakina, Emma Raducanu, and Katie Boulter.
Prize Money Disparity
This new tournament, with a prize pool of $1.415 million (£843,705), boasts the highest monetary reward for a WTA 500 event of its size this season. However, it’s important to note that the women’s prize still falls short of the men’s, which amounts to $2,882,544 (£2,124,031), revealing a persistent disparity in earnings between the genders in professional tennis.
LTA’s Commitment to Equal Prize Money
In tandem with this development, the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) has announced its ambition to achieve equal prize money for both the new women’s event at Queen’s and the mixed Eastbourne tournament by 2029 at the latest. In Eastbourne, a WTA event that has been downgraded to WTA 250 in order to accommodate the new Queen’s tournament, the prize money will also see an increase to $389,000 (£286,570), making it the highest-paying WTA 250 event currently available. However, this still pales in comparison to the ATP event in Eastbourne, which will provide $865,000 (£637,221).
Investment and Future Outlook
The LTA has emphasized its commitment to uplift women’s tennis, having infused an additional £397,738 into this year’s women’s events compared to the minimum required by the WTA. Despite the challenges and high operational costs associated with grass court events, the LTA is optimistic about future profitability and intends to systematically enhance financial support for women’s tournaments.
Growing Interest in Women’s Tennis
A sign of interest in the new WTA event is evident, as over 80% of tickets have already been sold, with a significant 55% of purchasers being female, reflecting the LTA’s goal to broaden the appeal of tennis among diverse audiences.
“We are making significant increases this year to the women’s prize money at Queen’s and Eastbourne and aim to achieve equal prize money as soon as possible,” stated Scott Lloyd, CEO of the LTA. He reiterated the organization’s dedication to advancing women’s tennis at all levels, particularly grassroots initiatives.
