'Major milestone' with women to earn equal prize money at tennis events — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- WTA announced all combined WTA 1000 tournaments will award equal prize money to men starting 2027, calling it a "major milestone" via chair Valerie Camillo.
- The last three WTA 1000 holdouts — Italian Open, Canadian Open, and Cincinnati Open — join Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, and China in offering equal pay.
- Billie Jean King won the Italian Open nearly six decades ago; the Rome clay-court event has lagged on equal pay until 2027.
- The 2027 WTA calendar features 55 tournaments across 26 countries, with the season-ending WTA Finals moving to an NBA arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, for at least three years.
- An expanded WTA 250 tournament in Manila was announced amid surging interest in home player Alex Eala.
- Required WTA 500 events for top-50 ranked players drop from six to four, cutting base playing commitment to 14 WTA tournaments plus four Grand Slams; players may also swap one WTA 1000 result for a stronger WTA 500 or 250 result on their ranking.
Why it matters: Three WTA 1000 holdouts — Italian Open, Canadian Open, and Cincinnati Open — finally equalize pay in 2027, nearly six decades after Billie Jean King won Rome. Top-50 players also gain scheduling relief: mandatory WTA 500 events drop from six to four, cutting base commitment to 14 tournaments plus four Grand Slams.
Ask SkimNews
