The LTA was assured its annual surplus will not be impacted by Wimbledon's recent spending.GETTY IMAGES
British tennis received an "early Christmas present with assurances from Wimbledon that its annual surplus will not be affected by recent expenditure on development," according to Mike Dickson of the London DAILY MAIL. The profit allocated to the Lawn Tennis Association "is, in fact, expected to hit" the £40M ($50.6M) mark for the first time following the '18 Championships. That is an increase on the £33.6M from the previous year, and "bucks the general trend" since the late '90s of it being trimmed, "once inflation is considered." This is "despite hefty nine-figure costs over recent years at SW19," which has seen a roof put on Court Number One and the indoor complex "about to be completely redeveloped." There has "also been concern at the burden of maintaining some of the tournaments on grass," promoted by the LTA, leading in to the "big fortnight." The standalone WTA Tour women's event at Birmingham "has become a particular headache, with losses said to run at well over" £500,000 ($632,000) annually (DAILY MAIL, 12/17).
