Only in Melbourne can thousands of people voluntarily roast under the sun to watch two athletes trade shots like a high‑stakes game of ping‑pong.

Yup, we’re talking about the Australian Open. That time of year when tennis takes over every Melbourne billboard, group chat, and TV in a 10‑kilometre radius.

But the Australian Open isn’t just about blistering serves and dramatic tie‑breaks - many onlookers are tuning in to see who takes home a share of the eye-watering prize pool!

So how much do the players earn from the Australian Open?

This year, the Australian Open prize pool increased by 16% to the largest prize pool in Australian Open history: $111.5 million (up from $96.5 million in 2025).  

That now makes it the second highest paid tennis grand slam in the world (after the US Open).

The good news is that this year, it ain’t just the winners who are earning more bank! Tennis Australia has increased the prize money at every round of the Australian Open including qualifying, singles, and doubles.

Here’s a breakdown of the prize pool for both the singles and doubles tournaments.

Singles Prize Money (Men & Women)

Doubles Prize Money (Men & Women)

And that’s just a fraction of the costs for Tennis Australia to host the Australian Open.

In fact, last year, Tennis Australia spent over $565 million to host the Australian Open in 2025.

Think $30+ million on advertising and marketing, $50+ million on staffing costs plus additional costs on travel, decking out Melbourne Park and perks for players and officials.

And what’s the impact for the Victorian economy?

The Victorian Government has been pulling out all the stops to lock in Victoria as the home of the Australian Open because of the enormous economic uplift and clout that the tournament provides to the state.

Given record attendance numbers, and record revenue figures in the past few years, the Australian Open has become the biggest economic generator in Aussie sport.

In fact, the 2025 Australian Open injected $565.8 million into Victoria’s economy, according to a new Nielsen Sports.

In 2025:

• The average daily spend per visitor was $243.92
• Visitors to the AO booked 442,887 nights in Victorian hotels
• There were 2,722 full-time jobs generated

But it ain’t just in 2025 - over the past 15 years the Australian Open has contributed a jaw dropping $3.83 billion in economic benefits to Victoria.

So it’s not just a grand slam, it’s a revenue powerhouse that Victoria is gripping onto like a prized trophy.