Wimbledon champs to get 1 million pounds

The winners of the men’s and women’s singles titles at this year’s Wimbledon tennis tournament will each earn a record 1 million pounds ($1.54 million).

The All England Club has increased the winners’ prize money by 150,000 pounds ($231,348) to help offset the decrease in the value of the British pound against the dollar and euro.

The increase means that the men’s prize money has doubled over the past 10 years.

All England Club chairman Tim Phillips says “We need to offer prize money that is commensurate with the tournament and competitive in the market.”

Organisers also say the sliding roof over Centre Court has been adapted to allow it to be deployed at each end to shade spectators from strong sunlight.