2013 Australian Open to pay out $31M

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MELBOURNE, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- The 2013 Australian Open will award a total of more than $31 million in prize money, officials said Tuesday.

Australian Open officials said the total purse was increased by more than $4 million over last year's prize money.

"We are proud to announce this major increase in prize money," Tennis Australia Chief Executive Officer Steve Wood said. "We have led the world in prize money for these incredible athletes and we want to ensure that the Australian Open continues to make a major contribution to the financial well-being of professional tennis players."

Officials haven't announced how the money will be split but 2012 men's singles champions Novak Djokovic and women's singles titlist Victoria Azarenka each won about $2.4 million.

The total prize fund for the 2012 Wimbledon Championships was nearly $26 million. The French Open and U.S. Open each paid out about $24 million.

The 2013 Australian Open, the first Grand Slam event of the year, is scheduled for Jan. 14-27.