LTA pledges equal prize money at Queen’s Club by 2029

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has pledged to award equal prize money to men and women at its events at Queen’s Club and Eastbourne by 2029.

A women’s tournament has been added to the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club, which begins next week, and will offer prize money totalling $1.4m (£1m). 

That is the highest for a WTA 500 event of its draw size this year, but less than half of the sum being paid at the men’s ATP tournament – which also has 500 status – the following week.

The gap is even wider at the Lexus Eastbourne Open, a joint WTA and ATP event staged the week before Wimbledon, where the women’s pot is £287,000 compared to the men’s £630,000.

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

“The LTA is committed to growing women’s tennis, both at professional and grass-roots level, and this move is an important part of that commitment.

“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.”

While prize money is equal at the grand slams and some joint tour events, generally remuneration on the WTA Tour is substantially lower than on its men’s equivalent.

WTA wants equal prize money at Queen’s

The LTA made a £4m loss across its grass-court events last year, which do not include Wimbledon, although moving the WTA 500 event from Eastbourne to Queen’s Club in west London is likely to provide a financial boost.

The governing body’s commercial income passed £10m last year and is forecast to grow by almost 40 per cent this year, driven by the expanded HSBC Championships and a raft of new partnership deals. 

“We fully support the LTA’s initiatives to increase the women’s prize pot at its events, with a goal of achieving parity in the longer term,” said WTA CEO Portia Archer. 

“WTA athletes deliver consistently engaging and powerful games on court to entertain courtside fans and worldwide audiences.

“This move sends a powerful message that the women’s game is valued and will inspire new generations of girls picking up racquets to know their endeavours will be recognised.”

The women’s event at Queen’s Club is set to feature Britons Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu, Wimbledon winners Barbora Krejcikova, Elena Rybakina and Petra Kvitova, and top 10 stars Madison Keys, Emma Navarro and Zheng Qinwen, although Naomi Osaka and Jessica Pegula have withdrawn.