With the Wimbledon fortnight fast approaching, British tennis appears to be flourishing, both on and off the court.
Long gone are the days when the nation’s hopes relied every summer on Tim Henman over performing (and still disappointing fans). Sir Andy Murray’s success in 2016 is starting to edge into distant memory, and since then British tennis has floundered a little – until now.
At the recent French Open two British men, Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie, both reached the fourth round, the first time in the Open era that two Brits have got to that stage. Draper is currently World number 5 in the rankings and at just 23 has many years ahead to get to the very top.
Cameron Norrie is a previous Wimbledon semifinalist and will be relishing the return to SW19 and his preferred grass courts. In Paris, he beat another Brit in Jacob Fearnley in the 3rd round, who is also 23 and will be looking to rise up the world rankings from his current position of 55.
British female players are also making strides, with three players provisionally in the World’s top 50 going into the grass court season. Emma Raducanu, still just 22, has not managed to rise to the heights she did in 2021 when winning the US Open, but her talent is undeniable. She is joined by Katie Boulter and Sonay Kortal in leading the charge at Wimbledon.
Special mention needs to be given to the most successful British player in the sport’s history. Alfie Hewitt has now won 32 wheelchair grand slams, 22 of those with compatriot Gordon Reid and the pair are ranked number 1 in the world for doubles, with Hewitt also number 2 in singles.
The current depth in British tennis isn’t by chance. It can be attributed to major financial investment in infrastructure and coaching, and initiatives such as the Park Tennis Project, a £30 million investment to transform over 3,000 courts across Britain, bringing them back to life for the benefit of the 1.7 million users. This sort of investment is made possible by the financial returns from Wimbledon.
Last year the tournament organisers, the All England Club (AELTC), was able to pass on £49.8 million to the Lawn Tennis Association (LYA), the governing body.
The two bodies have an agreement in place (from 2008 until 2053) through which 90% of AELTC’s annual profits are passed onto the LTA. Last year AELTC turnover was up at £406.5 million along with increased profits of £54.3 million, despite having a wet championship.
This record surplus was achieved despite prize money for Wimbledon rising to a staggering £50 million in 2024, up 11.9% on the previous year, and expected to rise further for this year’s players. The men’s and women’s champions each received £2.7 million for their championship success.
That kind of prize money is possible due to the seemingly unending allure of the southwest London event. In the UK, a total of 225 million hours of Wimbledon action were watched last year through the BBC, with action also broadcast around the world. Contrary to popular belief, the profits are not primarily from the sales of strawberries and cream, with the quintessential snack being sold at a reasonable £2.50 per portion (for 10 strawberries!).
This year fans of British tennis can certainly look forward to Wimbledon with dreams of British success on court, and safe in the knowledge that whatever the results the sport will continue to receive significant funding for many years to come.
David Little is a Partner at Bishop & Sewell in our expert Sports Law and Corporate & Commercial teams.
If you would like to contact him, please call on either 07968 027343 or 020 7631 4141 or email: company@bishopandsewell.co.uk.
The above is accurate as at 12 June 2025.
The information above may be subject to change. The content of this note should not be considered legal advice, and each matter should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
