The ATP disputes former Top 10 player Wayne Ferreira’s contention that players should be going after the ATP rather than the Grand Slams for more prize money because the majors have consistently increased their purses while ATP tournaments have not.
“The year-by-year on-site prize money totals on the ATP World Tour, not including Grand Slam tournaments, has increased over $31 million, a rise of 58.2%, since 2004 going into the 2013 season,” ATP spokesman Simon Higson told TENNIS.com in a statement.
All the Grand Slams have raised their prize money significantly since 2004, the year that Ferreira retired. That year, the U.S. Open offered $17.17 million in overall prize money and in 2013 will offer $29.5 million, which is actually an identical 58.2 percent increase over the same period.