Australian Open organisers have increased prize money to a record Australian dollars 30 million ($31.1 million) for the first tennis major of 2013 in response to player concerns about compensation at Grand Slam tournaments.
Tournament director Craig Tiley said the A$4 million ($4.15 million) increase, announced on Tuesday, was the largest from one year to the next in the tournament’s history.
The move followed reports that some players were considering bypassing the tournament if prize money was not increased, particularly for losers in the early rounds.
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Tiley said “We’re proud of the fact we’ve gone to record prize money. We are supporting the lower-ranked players in their quest for compensation.”
Tiley said Rafael Nadal had contacted him to confirm he plans to play in the tournament, despite recent injuries.