The Italian Open plans to award women the same amount of prize money as men starting in 2025.
When Iga Swiatek won last year’s tournament on the red clay
of the Foro Italico, she earned less than half of what Novak Djokovic took home
for his title.
Swiatek received a check for 332,260 euros ($364,000) while
Djokovic was paid 836,355 euros ($916,000).
Billie Jean King has often said that she was moved to form
the women’s pro circuit after earning $600 for her 1970 Italian Open title —
while Ilie Nastase took home $3,500 for winning the men’s tournament the same
year.
“For the first time in history we have started the process
that over three years will lead to equal prize money between the women’s and
the men’s tournaments,” Italian tennis federation president Angelo Binaghi said
Tuesday at the presentation for this season’s event, which will be held May
10-21.
“We’re talking about 8 million euros (nearly $9 million) for
each event,” Binaghi added. “We can make this big leap because the first female
CEO of a big bank in Italy has provided us with the necessary resources.”
Elena Goitini is the chief executive of Banca Nazionale del
Lavoro, the Italian Open’s main sponsor.
Having received an upgrade in status by the ATP and WTA, the
Italian Open is expanding from eight to 12 days this year and will feature
96-player draws for men and women — up from the previous status of 56 players
in each event.
“With WTA’s continued efforts to achieve equal prize money
at all events, we are excited for the commitment that has been made by the Rome
event to ensure this is in place by 2025,” the WTA Tour told The Associated
Press. “It is our hope to see this commitment achieved at more WTA events.”
The Grand Slam tournaments offer equal prize money. The
women’s tour sets a minimum prize money level for all of its events and said
equal prize money “requires a commitment to incremental investment by the
events, which Rome has now committed to.”
“We appreciate the unwavering commitment from the events who
currently are paying equal prize money and again the commitment being made by
Rome to make sure this is in place by 2025.” -AP