The Australian Open will start on 17 January 2022 in Melbourne. This year we have seen a 4.5% increase in the total prize money for the 1st Grand Slam of the year. This represents a 4.90% increase compared to last year’s pandemic impacted and delayed tournament. There was a strong focus on increasing prize money for qualifying and early-round losers 12 months ago. In 2022, however, the latter stages of the tournament see the biggest pay increases.
As a result, the total prize money has shot up to $54.2 million from $51.6 million last year. Known as the ‘Happy Slam’, the Australian Open ranks second in terms of total prize money. Only the US Open has given larger prize money, which stood at $57.5 million (USD) in 2021.
The Australian Open total prize money for 2022 was as follows.
| Event | W | F | SF | QF | Round of 16 | Round of 32 | Round of 64 | Round of 1281 | Q3 | Q2 | Q1 |
| Singles | A$2,875,000 | A$1,575,000 | A$895,000 | A$538,500 | A$328,000 | A$221,000 | A$154,000 | A$103,000 | A$53,500 | A$35,500 | A$25,250 |
| Doubles * | A$675,000 | A$360,000 | A$205,000 | A$113,000 | A$65,250 | A$45,100 | A$30,050 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Mixed Doubles * | A$ | A$ | A$ | A$ | A$ | A$ | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Check out information on the last year’s prize money along with the money given to doubles players and players participating in qualifiers.
Last Year’s Prize Money
At the Australian Open last year, Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka who were the champions received an amount of $2 million as winners. The runners-up Daniil Medvedev and Jennifer Brady received a total of $1.1 million each. However, the players who will win Australian Open this year will get a total of $3.2 million. The runners-up this year will receive $1.6 million, resulting in an increase of 60% and 6% respectively.
The winners at the 2022 Australian Open will receive more money than Daniil Medvedev and Emma Raducanu received after winning the 2021 US Open title.
Similarly, the prize money of the semifinalists and quarterfinalists of the tournament has also been increased by the management. While a semifinalist and quarterfinalist received $614,160 and $379,330 respectively in 2021, they will be paid $794,790 and $433,590 next year. It is a hike of 29.41% and 12.5% respectively.
Prize money for Qualifiers
Despite raising the total prize pool, the management of the Open has reduced the amount that will be given to qualifiers and players that suffer early exits.
While the players who reached the third qualifying round made $37,940 in 2021, they will be getting $36,120 next year in Melbourne. Similarly, those reaching the first, second, third, and fourth rounds received a paycheck of $72,240, $108,350, $195,290, $231,130 in 2021.
But if they manage to advance to the same stage, they will now get $65,000, $101,120, $130,000, and $216,670 respectively, a reduction between 10-16.2%.
Prize money for Doubles players
Doubles players will receive these amounts as follows at the 2022 Australian Open
Winners will receive $577,790 while the runners-up will be getting $288,890. The Semi-finalists in the doubles will get $144,450 along with the Quarterfinalists receiving $79,450. The teams reaching Round-3 will get $44,780 while the team reaching Round-2 would receive $28,890.