Stories of the Open Era: At long last, equal prize money at the majors

WATCH—Stories of the Open Era: Equal Prize Money

Before 1973, women were paid significantly less than men at the majors. This week, Tennis Channel’s Stories of the Open Era—a series that celebrates the 50th anniversary of Open tennis—looks back at the moment women were able to claim equal prize money.

The 1973 edition of the US Open was the first Grand Slam event to offer female players financial parity with their male counterparts—$25,000 each for the men’s and women’s singles champions. The respective trophy winners that year were Australians John Newcombe and Margaret Court.

It took 28 years for the Australian Open to follow suit, offering both genders equal prize money in 2001. The 2006 edition of the French Open saw women claim the same amount as men, while Wimbledon was the last Slam to do so, in 2007.

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