Women’s Tennis Tour to Achieve Equal Prize Money at Major Events

Billie Jean King, a pioneer in women’s tennis, attended the U.S. Open women’s singles final on September 12, 2026, where Aryna Sabalenka faced Elena Rybakina. King often recounts her experience of earning $600 for her 1970 Italian Open victory, while Ilie Nastase won $3,500 for the men’s tournament that same year.

In a significant development for gender equality in sports, the WTA Tour announced that starting in 2027, the Italian Open will offer equal total prize money for men and women for the first time. This initiative represents a major milestone as all combined WTA 1000 events will feature equal prize distributions. Previously, the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open were the last events to address this disparity.

Other combined events, including those in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Beijing, and all four Grand Slams, already provide equal prize money. WTA chair Valerie Camillo expressed that achieving this equality reflects the organization’s commitment to competitive and financial parity, honoring the original vision of the WTA.

The announcement coincides with financial challenges faced by the WTA, particularly after its decision to host this year’s WTA Finals in Indian Wells instead of Saudi Arabia. Next year, the flagship event will also take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, for a three-year period.

Although Italian Open organizers had pledged equal prize money by 2025, they did not follow through; this year's total men’s prize money in Rome reached $9.6 million, while women’s amounted to $8.3 million.

Additionally, a new WTA 250 tournament will be held in Manila, Philippines, in November 2027, in response to the rising popularity of local player Alex Eala, currently ranked 18th. Earlier this year, a WTA 125 tournament was hosted in the Philippines.

Also, for 2027, the number of WTA 500 tournaments required for players ranked in the top 50 will decrease from six to four, resulting in a commitment of 14 WTA tournaments plus four Grand Slams. This decision is part of the WTA's response to player feedback about calendar demands, aiming to offer more flexibility.

Player Jessica Pegula noted that these changes would allow athletes to align their schedules more closely with personal and competitive goals. The WTA intends to evaluate the impact of these changes as a one-year pilot program in 2027, with plans for future adjustments based on this assessment.

Furthermore, three events in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are still scheduled for February after relocating the WTA Finals from Saudi Arabia due to regional conflicts.