Publications
Partners
Paris - Prize money for this year's French Open will increase by 14 percent, with the total purse for the 2016 tournament at Roland Garros rising to just over €32 million, the French tennis federation (FFT) announced on Wednesday.
The winners of the men's and women's singles titles at the May 22-June 5 Grand Slam event will both take home €2 million , €200,000 more than last year's champions, out of a total pot of €32,017,500.
As in 2015, the most significant increase -- close to 20 percent -- relates to players knocked out in rounds two and three as well as the last 16, the FFT added.
"This noticeable increase in prize money at Roland Garros is the final raise mentioned in the four-year plan drawn up for 2013 to 2016," tournament director Guy Forget said in a statement.
"In total, the tournament's prize money will have increased by an historic 70% during this four-year period, with a particular focus on those players who are eliminated in the first week, who have seen their earnings double."
In comparison, the overall purse for the season-opening Australian Open was €28.4 million, with €2.3 million awarded to the singles winners.
However, the amount falls short of the €33.6 million prize money, €2.63 million of which was pocketed by the victors, on offer at Wimbledon last year, while the 2015 US Open paid out the richest prizes in the sport.
Men's and women's singles champions in New York, Novak Djokovic and Flavia Pennetta, each received a record €2.92 million as part of an overall purse of €37.3 million.
