Wimbledon’s 2025 prize money announcement wasn’t just about numbers—it came at a time when players, unions, and fans have been questioning how much tennis’s biggest stages actually give back to the athletes who fill them. The tournament’s total prize money has now hit a record-breaking £53.5 million ($72.59 million), marking a 7% jump from last year. That’s the highest prize pot in Wimbledon history—and the largest of any Grand Slam this year. And for some additional context, that’s also nearly double what was offered just a decade ago. And in a period when the economics of tennis have come under increasing scrutiny, the All England Club’s decision carries weight far beyond the ivy-covered walls of SW19.

The singles champions this year will each walk away with £3 million ($4.07 million)—more than any other Grand Slam is offering. Even first-round losers in the singles draw will earn £66,000, a 10% increase from 2024. Doubles players haven’t been left behind either, with prize pools bumped by 4.4%, and mixed doubles by 4.3%. The AELTC has also quietly upped prize money across the board, from wheelchair and quad events, where the increase stands at 5.6%, to qualifying rounds and junior draws. But behind this financial show of strength is a deeper shift. Over the past year, players and unions have grown louder in demanding a fairer share of Grand Slam revenues, especially for lower-ranked players struggling with travel, training, and recovery costs. Wimbledon, it seems, has responded in kind.

Still, as AELTC chair Deborah Jevans was quick to point out, the problem facing tennis isn’t just about paychecks. “The challenge with tennis is the lack of an off-season, which players want, and the increasing injuries they are experiencing,” she said, acknowledging that money alone can’t fix an unforgiving calendar. As conversations continue about sustainability in the sport, Wimbledon has made another bold change—this time, not in pounds or percentages, but in how the very rhythm of finals weekend will unfold. And according to the Tennis Weekly Podcast, this year’s Grand Slam is shaking things up. 

The podcast posted on X on June 12: “Wimbledon has announced an update to Finals weekend schedule: The gentlemen’s and ladies’ doubles finals will commence at 1pm, followed by the ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles finals at 4pm, on the second Saturday and Sunday respectively.” But why is it a big deal?

For the first time since 2022, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has made a bold move. The men’s and women’s singles finals at Wimbledon now start at 4 pm local time, not the traditional 2 pm. This isn’t a whim—it follows an 18-month process of data collection, broadcaster hearings, player consultations, and fan surveys, all aimed at improving scheduling certainty and live-time viewing. The goal? To create a bigger, better experience for fans, players, and broadcasters, ensuring that the world’s biggest tennis stars are crowned under optimal conditions, and a truly global spotlight.

This timing shift feels especially relevant after this year’s epic French Open final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, which stretched to five hours and 29 minutes, prompting widespread broadcaster headaches and late-night viewing in Europe and the Americas. If Wimbledon sees a final of comparable length, the later start gives it a much better chance to finish under the roof and lights, preserving the electric Antoine atmosphere and maximising prime-time exposure. As chief executive Sally Bolton emphasized, “The consideration of the change has taken a lot of time, took a lot of thought and a lot of data analysis went into the decision,” she told the media, highlighting how every detail was measured and modelled.

“It’s about an improved experience for all involved. Whether it’s the doubles finals having greater certainty over their schedule, whether it’s the fans having the opportunity to experience a day which builds to the crescendo of the singles finals. Or ensuring we have our champions crowned in front of the widest possible audience. Those were the primary drivers. We spent a lot of time considering the data and information in front of us from history and the length of matches,” she added.

The longest match at Wimbledon was John Isner vs. Nicolas Mahut in 2010. It took 11 hours and 5 minutes of play over three days because Wimbledon’s rules at the time didn’t include a final-set tie-break, meaning players had to win by two games. Combined with the fading daylight on both the first and second evenings, this led to an almost endless fifth set, forcing suspensions until a winner finally emerged on the third day.

If all these changes are a bit overwhelming, at least we know they won’t be moving past the 14-day schedule anytime soon!

Wimbledon organizers confirm the length of the tournament remains

In January 2025, Tim Henman—former World No. 4 and now a board member at the All England Club—confirmed Wimbledon would not follow the U.S. Open and Australian Open by extending to a 15-day schedule. The U.S. Open just announced a 15-day main draw, and the Aussie Open made the jump this year. The French Open, by the way, has started on Sundays since 2006. But Wimbledon? No way—Henman says organisers have “zero appetite” for a 15-day event.

Why? Henman explained that moving to a 14-day format by ditching the middle Sunday rest day in 2022 was already a massive call. “The big issue from when it was a 13-day event was that the middle Sunday was absolutely about watering the court to make sure that it was going to be still alive for the latter part of the tournament,” he said. Centre Court gets the most play, so keeping it in top shape for the final weekend was key.

Henman kept it real: “Centre Court is the one that gets played on the most because it’s used every day and to have it in the best possible condition for the final weekend, it was a big decision to go to 14 days. The research and data around that, you’re looking at 80 hours of tennis on Centre, that’s the sort of maximum.” He added, “I think the appetite to go to 15 days is zero, first and foremost because of the courts.”

Speaking at the launch of Sky Sports’ tennis coverage, Henman said the 14-day format is working well and the 11 p.m. curfew will likely stick. Late-night finishes? That’s for other Slams. Wimbledon’s early wrap-ups are a hit with players, media, and fans. Maybe that’s why they tweaked the start times, too. What do you think? Drop your thoughts below!