The WTA Tour will require equal prize money for men and women at all combined WTA 1000 events starting in 2027, closing a gap that’s persisted for nearly six decades. The Italian Open, Canadian Open, and Cincinnati Open will finally reach parity, joining Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Beijing, and all four Grand Slams in offering identical purses to male and female champions.
The shift arrives with peculiar timing. Italian Open organizers pledged in 2023 to deliver equal prize money by 2025, but didn’t follow through. This year alone, the Rome tournament paid men’s competitors $9.6 million in total prize money, while women’s competitors received $8.3 million—a $1.3 million disparity. The announcement promises to correct that imbalance going forward.
WTA chair Valerie Camillo framed the change as institutional progress. “Achieving equal prize money across all combined WTA 1000 tournaments is a major milestone for tennis,” she said. “It demonstrates the WTA’s continued commitment to leading the sports industry in delivering our athletes competitive and financial equality and is a testament to the enduring nature of the founding vision of the WTA.”
The historical contrast shows how far things have shifted. Billie Jean King won $600 for capturing the Italian Open title in 1970, while men’s champion Ilie Nastase took home $3,500 for the same achievement. That nearly 6-to-1 gap in payouts remained standard for decades, until gradual pressure forced major tournaments to recalibrate.
Broader Tour Restructuring
The equal-prize announcement arrived alongside structural changes meant to reduce player commitments. Beginning in 2027, top-50 players will need to enter four WTA 500-level tournaments instead of six. Total base playing commitments will fall to 14 WTA tournaments plus the four Grand Slams—a meaningful reduction in the annual calendar.
Third-ranked Jessica Pegula chairs the tour architecture council steering these changes and emphasized player input in the restructuring. “As players, we’re on the road most of the year, so having more flexibility in our schedules and commitments makes a real difference,” she said. “The 2027 changes give us more ability to build our seasons around our own goals — competitively and personally. That’s an impactful step forward for players.”
Camillo echoed that framing: “The WTA is stepping up to deliver more for players and tournaments in 2027. We’ve listened to player feedback on the demands of the calendar and responded with a meaningful reduction in commitments.”
The WTA also announced it will expand its presence in Manila, upgrading the Philippines tournament from WTA 125-level status to WTA 250-level starting in 2027. The interest centers partly on home player Alex Eala, currently ranked 18th. The Philippines hosted a WTA 125 event in January 2026.
Testing Changes Before Locking Them In
The WTA called all 2027 changes “a one-year pilot,” allowing the tour to “evaluate the impact of the changes across the tour to inform decisions for 2028 and beyond.” The cautious approach reflects uncertainty about how reduced commitments and tournaments in new markets will affect tour economics and player participation.
The announcements also follow the WTA’s decision to stage its flagship Finals tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina for the next three years in an NBA arena—another move addressing player preferences and tournament logistics.
Why This Matters:
Equal prize money at major events removes a lingering financial disparity that drew sustained criticism, particularly from players and advocates citing the gap’s economic and symbolic weight. For the WTA, standardizing pay across combined 1000 events eliminates a competitive disadvantage when bidding for tournament hosting rights and player participation. But the tour’s decision to pilot these 2027 changes rather than make them permanent suggests uncertainty about whether reduced player commitments will sustain tour competitiveness and sponsorship value long-term. The evaluation period built into the announcement indicates the WTA recognizes that lighter schedules and calendar flexibility could have unintended consequences for tournament attendance, television ratings, and revenue distribution—factors the tour will need to monitor carefully before making permanent commitments beyond 2027.