Wimbledon increases prize purse

LONDON, April 23 (UPI) -- The prize purse at this year's Wimbledon Championships will total $34.4 million, an increase of about 40 percent over 2012, tournament officials said Tuesday.

Officials at the All England Club, which administers the championships, said the increase makes the 2013 Wimbledon event the biggest total purse in tennis history.

The singles champions this year will collect $2.4 million. A year ago Roger Federer and Serena Williams each won $1.75 million for their Wimbledon titles.

Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka each took home about $2.49 million for their wins at the Australian Open in January. The 2012 U.S. Open paid out $1.9 million to singles championships Williams and Andy Murray while the French Open titles last year -- won by Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova -- were worth about $1.6 million each.

Much of the increase in this year's Wimbledon's total purse, however, will be set aside for players eliminated in early rounds or in qualifying. Prize money increases 60 percent for players who lose in the first three rounds and the qualifying section purse will be 41 percent greater this year.

The All England Club also said it would have a roof installed over Court No. 1 in time for the 2019 tournament. There has been a retractable roof over Center Court since 2009.

The 2013 Wimbledon Championships are scheduled for June 24-July 7.