Australian Open 2023: Grand Slam tennis prize explained - how much does winner earn?

The Australian Open is only one week away with the qualifying rounds underway today, Monday 9 January 2023. Rafael Nadal will hope to defend his 2022 title but rival Novak Djokovic will be eager to win his tenth Australian Open crown and his 22nd Grand Slam to match Nadal’s current record.

It had been hoped that the 2019 and 2021 champion Naomi Osaka would feature but she is now the latest casualty of the tournament after Open officials tweeted that she had withdrawn: “Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the Australian Open. We will miss her at #AO2023”.

The 25-year-old has not played a match since September and concerns are now growing that the four-time Grand Slam champ may not return to the tennis court at all. On the sidelines with her will be men’s number one Carlos Alcaraz who pulled out on Saturday with a hamstring injury.

However, with still plenty of big names set to feature, here is all you need to know about how much they will be earning from competing in Melbourne...

When is the Australian Open?

The Australian Open begins on Monday 16 January 2023 and will conclude with the women’s final on Saturday 28 and the men’s final on Sunday 29 January. The first Grand Slam of the year is played on hard outdoor courts at Melbourne Park.

How to watch the Australian Open

The Australian Open will be broadcast by Warner Bros’ Discovery+ set-up which is available for £6.99/month or £59.99/year. John McEnroe, Tim Henman and new recruit Laura Robson will all feature as commentators and presenters from Melbourne.

What is the Prize money for the Australian Open?

The total prize money for the 2023 tournament has been set as $76.5million AUD (£43.6m). The pot is split equally between the men and women’s tournament with more prize money having been allocated to the first few rounds. The tournament CEO Craig Tiley announced the increase by saying: “It is critical to the continued rise of the Australian Summer of Tennis to provide relevant playing opportunites and to ensure that the best players in the world are adequately awarded.

“At the Australian Open, we increase the prize pool for every round, from qualifying to the final, with the largest increases in the early rounds, where these substantial rewards help players invest in their careers and, in many cases, establish themselves for success throughout the game.”

Here is how much will be awarded for each round in the singles tournament:

• Q1: £14,800
• Q2: £20,858
• Q3: £31,451
• First round: £60,590
• Second round: £90,567
• Third round: £129,949
• Fourth round: £192,850
• Quarter-final: £316,822
• Semi-final: £527,798
• Finalist: £926,421
• Winner: £1,696,062

Here is the prize money awarded for the doubles tournament:

• Second round: £17,654
• Third round: £26,509
• Fourth round: £38,339
• Quarter-final: £66,415
• Semi-final: £119,719
• Final: £211,001
• Winner: £396,340

Who’s playing in the Australian Open?

Emma Raducanu was hopeful of featuring at the Australian Open this year but after rolling on her ankle at the ASB Classic, it is not currently known whether she will be fit enough to compete. Cameron Norrie is, however, expected to represent the British contingent with Katie Boulter, Ryan Peniston and Liam Broady currently fighting their way through the qualifying rounds. Iga Swiatek is currently the top seed in the women’s competition with Djokovic the top seed in the men’s.