WIMBLEDON: The total purse at Wimbledon will be nearly 10 per cent more than last year, with the men's and women's champions each taking home £700,000.

The only Grand Slam tournament on grass will offer £11,282,710 in all, an increase of 8.7 per cent. Wimbledon announced on February 22 it would pay men and women the same from the opening round to the final for the first time since it began paying players in 1968.

``No tennis tournament has ever offered higher prizemoney than Wimbledon in 2007,'' the All England Club chairman, Tim Phillips, said.

Roger Federer earned £655,000 in winning last year's tournament, while Amelie Mauresmo took home £625,000.

Instant replay

Wimbledon, which runs from June 25 to July 8, also announced it would use instant replay for the first time, subject to final testing in May.

The Hawk-Eye technology, used at the U.S. Open for the first time last year and also at this year's Australian Open, will be on Centre Court and Court No. 1 only.

Large screens to show the replays will be erected in the two courts. — AP

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