LTA serves up equal prize money plan

The LTA has announced an increase in women’s prize money levels for 2025 and has committed to equalising prize money.

For the first time this year, all the LTA’s grass court events have featured both men’s and women’s tennis. This forms part of the LTA’s commitment to bringing British fans the opportunity to watch players on home soil and bringing women’s tennis to a wider audience.

The HSBC Championships will stage a women’s WTA 500 and a men’s ATP 500 event, whilst the Lexus Eastbourne Open will stage a women’s WTA 250 and a men’s ATP 250. The LTA, with the support of the WTA, has chosen to increase the WTA prize money at Queen’s and Eastbourne in 2025 and will 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 HSBC Championships has risen to $1.415m, making it the highest paying WTA 500 event of its draw size in the world this year. The WTA 250 prize money at the Lexus Eastbourne Open has risen to $389,000, making this the highest paying WTA 250 event anywhere on the tour.

The LTA already invests an equal amount into men’s and women’s tennis across its performance pathway, and stages more women’s international events than men’s in Great Britain.

Scott Lloyd, LTA Chief Executive, said, “We are making significant increases this year to the women’s prize money at Queens and Eastbourne and want to achieve equal prize money as soon as possible.

“This year fans will be able to enjoy both men’s and women’s tennis on the biggest stages that we can offer and we want to develop the tournaments so that the women’s events deliver a path to profitability and greater visibility for the sport.

“We aspire to play a leading part in the growth and development of women’s tennis globally, and we’ll continue to explore new ways in which we can do this.”

Subscribe to the Sport Industry Daily for regular updates on the biggest stories and latest news in the sport industry.