Wimbledon singles champions will bag checks for £2.2 million ($2.8 million, 2.6 million euros) this year, the All England Club said Wednesday. Andy Murray and Serena Williams earned £2 million for taking home the silverware in the men's and women's events at the grass-court Grand Slam last year. That figure has now been surpassed by a 10 percent hike as Wimbledon prepares for this year's tournament, which gets under way on July 3 in its latest start date since 1895. In the last six years, the cash pot for the Wimbledon winners has doubled from £1.1 million. Wimbledon's total prize money for 2017 is up by 12.5 percent to £31.6 million, reflecting the huge revenue streams of the world's most famous tennis tournament. "We are proud of the important leadership role that Wimbledon plays locally, nationally and internationally, and are committed to continuing to secure the future of the Championships, and of our sport, for years to come," said All England Club chairman Philip Brook. However, the Wimbledon champions still earn less than last year's singles winners at the US Open, who banked £2.7 million. Sharapova's Wimbledon fate to be decided on June 20 Former champion Maria Sharapova's hopes of playing at this year's Wimbledon championships could hinge on a June 20 meeting of tournament organizers unless the Russian hits form in forthcoming events in Rome and Madrid. Sharapova, who returned to action last week after a 15-month ban for an anti-doping violation, could still climb high enough in the WTA rankings to take her place in the Wimbledon qualifying tournament at Roehampton. Failing that the 2004 champion would need a wildcard, either into the main draw or the qualifying event the week before. "We have a long-standing tried and tested process (for awarding wildcards) in the week before qualifying and this year is no different," All England Club chairman Philip Brook said at a news conference Wednesday. "First we will see if Maria applies for a wildcard and if so we will consider her case alongside everyone else's. "It will be a decision for the group on the day." After reaching the semifinals in Stuttgart last week, Sharapova's first tournament since her ban for taking the prohibited substance Meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, her world ranking rose to 262 in the world rankings. The cut-off date to enter Wimbledon's main draw is May 22, the day after the conclusion of the Rome tournament in which Sharapova has been handed a wildcard. Even the Rome title would not put her high enough in the rankings to make the Wimbledon main draw, although a string of wins there and in Madrid the following week, where she also has a wildcard, could squeeze her into qualifying and potentially spare the All England Club a tough decision. Entry to the qualifying tournament closes on June 5. Several players, including former world number one Caroline Wozniacki and former Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard, have been highly critical of tournament organizers handing five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova wildcards. Brook said many factors would be considered before a decision was made. "We look at who has done well in the lead up tournaments. We will also consider what might add interest to the tournament," he said. "If someone has a strong record at Wimbledon that would be taken into consideration." Sharapova will learn on May 16 whether or not she will be awarded a wildcard for the French Open where she has twice been crowned champion. Nastase not welcome at Wimbledon this year, say organizers Former Romanian tennis player Ilie Nastase will not be welcome at this year's Wimbledon championships and could be stopped at the gate if he tries to attend, organisers said Wednesday. The 70-year-old former French and US Open champion is provisionally banned from all International Tennis Federation (ITF) events after hurling allegedly racist and sexist comments during Romania's Fed Cup tie with Britain last month. All England Club chairman Philip Brook said he "condemned" the behavior of two-time Wimbledon runner-up Nastase. "In terms of an invitation to the Royal Box, he won't receive one this year," Brook said at the club's spring news conference. Club chief executive Richard Lewis went further, saying Nastase "could be stopped at the gate" if he tried to enter the grounds with a ticket. Romanian Fed Cup captain Nastase, who courted controversy throughout his career, was booted out of his country's tie with Britain for "unsportsmanlike" behavior. The singles rubber between Britain's Johanna Konta and Sorana Cirstea was briefly suspended after remarks made by Nastase to Konta and Britain's captain Anne Keothavong. Nastase had already run into trouble during the World Group II playoff tie in Constanta, after allegedly making a derogatory comment about American great Serena Williams's unborn child.— Agencies
