WIMBLEDON: Wimbledon’s total prize money fund will rise to a record 50 million pounds (about $64 million), with the singles champions each earning 2.7 million pounds ($3.45 million), All England Club officials announced Thursday at the annual spring briefing.

The total amount is 5.3 million pounds ($6.8 million) more than last year, an increase of 11.9% — and exactly twice the 25 million pounds ($32 million at the current exchange rate) handed out to competitors at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament 10 years ago.

Ticket demand “has never been greater” than it was this year, said Deborah Jevans, the new chair of the All England Club.

The winners’ checks for 2024 represent a jump of 350,000 pounds each (nearly $450,000), a 14.9% jump.

Players who lose in the first round of singles will get 60,000 pounds (about $76,000) each, up from 55,000 ($70,000) in 2023.

The prizes for the qualifying event will go up 14.9% to 4.8 million pounds (about $6 million).