Australian Open record prize money revealed for 2026 edition

The prize fund for this year's Australian Open has been increased by 16 percent to £55.4m, making it the largest purse in the tournament's history.

The two singles champions will each pocket £2.1m, up from the £1.7m which Jannik Sinner and Madison Keys took home last year.

"This 16 percent increase demonstrates our commitment to supporting tennis careers at every level," said Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley.

"From boosting qualifying prize money by 55 percent since 2023 to enhancing player benefits, we're ensuring professional tennis is sustainable for all competitors."

The US Open offered the largest prize fund of the Grand Slams last year with £66.4m, while Wimbledon offered a total of £53.5m and the French Open £48.8m.

First-round losers at the Australian Open will walk away with £74,500, a hike of 14 percent from 2025, while the qualifying rounds will see the largest hike of 16 percent. Those falling in third round of qualifying will earn £41,500.

The prize money increase is part of Tennis Australia's £100m investment across the "Summer of Tennis", which Tiley said, "strengthens tennis's foundation, ensuring the sport's long-term health and commercial growth".

The Australian Open runs from 18 January to 1 February at Melbourne Park.

Reuters