The Australian Open has "cracked" the A$50M ($36.3M) prize money barrier, "continuing the tournament's stunning growth," according to Leo Schlink of the HERALD SUN. Singles champions at the Jan. 16-29 grand slam will receive a record A$3.7M ($2.7M) -- an increase of A$300,000 ($217,600) -- while first-round losers will walk away with A$50,000 ($36,300) each, up A$11,500 ($8,300) on '16. Prize money has been "boosted" by 14% overall "as the Open regains the mantle as the world's richest major." Tournament Dir Craig Tiley said that organizers "wanted to ensure players were compensated at both ends of the spectrum." Tiley: "We are committed to further improving the pay and conditions on the international tennis tour to ensure every professional tennis player is properly compensated. ... We are constantly reviewing ways to improve the life of every player on tour, not just the top 100. This includes increasing prize money as well as removing as many costs as possible associated with playing our events. ... First round prize money is up 30 percent, there's a 19 percent increase in the second round, and losers in the third round will be 20 percent better off, taking home A$130,000 ($94,300)." Australian Open prize money has "more than tripled" since '01, when it was A$13.9M, with a A$10M ($7.25M) increase since '14 (HERALD SUN, 12/21). The BBC reported "the increase is part of a package of measures to try to tackle corruption." It was during last year's Australian Open that an investigation uncovered "suspected illegal betting," with 16 players reportedly flagged over suspicious matches. The lower levels of tennis are considered "more vulnerable to betting-related corruption as players struggle to make a living through prize money" (BBC, 12/21).
