WTA to equalise prize money at all combined WTA 1000 tournaments from 2027
The Women’s Tennis Association announced on 1 October 2026 that, from 2027, all combined WTA 1000 tournaments will award women the same prize money as men. The move formalises parity across the tour’s combined 1000-level events for the first time.
Billie Jean King’s 1970 Italian Open victory, when she earned $600 while Ilie Nastase took $3,500 for the men’s title, was cited in the announcement as historical context for the change at the Rome event. In 2027 the Rome clay-court tournament at the Foro Italico will award women the same total prize money as men, completing parity across combined WTA 1000 events; the remaining holdouts had been the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open. Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Beijing, together with the four Grand Slams, already offer equal prize money.
“Achieving equal prize money across all combined WTA 1000 tournaments is a major milestone for tennis,” WTA chair Valerie Camillo 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.”
Italian Open organisers had pledged in 2023 to introduce equal prize money from 2025 but did not follow through; this year the men’s total prize money in Rome was $9.6m while the women received $8.3m. The announcement makes the delayed change official for 2027.
The WTA also confirmed expansion of a WTA 250-level tournament in Manila, Philippines, amid “massive interest surrounding home player Alex Eala, who is ranked 18th.”
Tournament commitment rules were adjusted: the required number of annual WTA 500-level tournaments for players ranked in the top 50 was reduced from six to four, producing a total base playing commitment of 14 WTA tournaments plus the four Grand Slams in 2027. The WTA said it relied heavily on its tour architecture council, a working group chaired by third-ranked Jessica Pegula.
“As players, we’re on the road most of the year, so having more flexibility in our schedules and commitments makes a real difference,” Pegula 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.”
The WTA said the updates "will be implemented as a one-year pilot" for 2027, allowing it to "evaluate the impact of the changes across the tour to inform decisions for 2028 and beyond."