After decades of progress led by icons like Billie Jean King, Serena, and Venus Williams, tennis has embraced the principle of equal prize money for male and female players across major tournaments, including the Grand Slams and premier events. The upcoming WTA Finals in Riyadh will continue this trend, matching the ATP Finals with an impressive prize pool of $15.25 million. Yet, there’s an intriguing twist in how the prize money is distributed, which has stirred interest among top players like Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff.
This year, the prize money structure for the WTA Finals differs from the ATP Finals in how rewards are allocated. The ATP Finals offer higher earnings for players who win in the group stages, with a $396,500 payout for each round-robin match victory. In contrast, the WTA Finals will focus on rewarding deeper progression into the tournament’s knockout stages. For instance, players at the WTA Finals earn $350,000 per group-stage match win, but the ultimate WTA Finals champion will walk away with $2.5 million, while the ATP champion earns $2,237,200. This approach means WTA champions and finalists will end up with more earnings than their ATP counterparts.
Interestingly, this $15.25 million prize pool is a record high for the WTA Finals. Last season, the total purse was $9 million, making this year’s prize money nearly a 70% increase from the previous season. The boost in prize money has added excitement, especially for players like Swiatek, who is aiming to defend her title in Riyadh, and Coco Gauff, who seeks her first WTA Finals crown.
As Gauff prepares for the tournament, she has received valuable advice from Rennae Stubbs, Serena Williams’ former coach, focusing on her serve, which has been a challenge throughout the season. Gauff, who has won just two titles in 2024, has struggled with double faults, which Stubbs believes could impact her chances at the Finals. Stubbs advised that if Gauff can keep her double faults below six per match, she has a strong chance of winning the title, noting that Gauff’s serve can be as powerful as anyone’s on tour when consistent.
The WTA Finals draw also seems favorable for Gauff, as she avoids potential threats like Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina in the group stages. Gauff will face top contender Iga Swiatek in her group, alongside Jessica Pegula and Barbora Krejcikova. With a solid performance, Gauff could be poised to prove her critics wrong and secure the WTA Finals title.
This year’s WTA Finals prize structure has raised discussions among fans and players alike, with many seeing it as a step toward greater recognition and support for women in tennis. As Gauff and other competitors gear up for their campaigns, the stage is set for an exciting tournament that celebrates the strides made toward equality in the sport.