When it comes to countering any argument that women should get equal prize money at Wimbledon, the All England Club now have their responses down to a fine art, and could doubtless make a case that black was predominantly white for good measure.
Again, the men’s and women’s singles champion will receive more money this year, but again, because the increase is in percentage terms, the gap between them has grown wider.
At the Australian and United States Opens men and women get equal prize money, and the disparity at the French Open has significantly diminished.
‘We like to believe in market data and fairness,†said Tim Phillips, the club’s chairman, who pointed out that Serena Williams, reigning women’s champion, was paid more for her court time last year than men’s champion Lleyton Hewitt. A specious argument.
The men’s singles winner will receive £575 000 (up £50 000) in July; the women’s £535 000 (up £49 000). The increase for both is 9,5%.
The rise in overall prize money — now almost £9,5-million — has all been channelled into the singles, reflecting the worldwide downgrading of the doubles game.
Traditionalists will wince at finding that players bowing and curtseying to the royal box will largely stop from this year, save for the presence of the Queen, who has not attended since 1977, or Prince Charles.
This follows a request from the club’s president, the Duke of Kent, to stop the tradition, in line with practice elsewhere.
British royalty has been associated with the championships since 1907 when the Prince of Wales, accompanied by Princess Mary, arrived on Saturday June 29 and stayed until rain brought the day’s play to an end — as it so often does.
‘The Duke of Kent feels that during his lifetime the tradition of bowing and curtseying is pretty much on the way out,†said Phillips.
‘To do it very publicly on the centre court at Wimbledon doesn’t seem right therefore.†This was news to many. —