Ash Barty isn’t just the queen of the 2019 WTA Finals. She is a very rich queen of the end-of-season extravaganza.
On Sunday the world No.1 became the first Australian player to win the tournament since 1976. Disposing of last year’s champion, Elina Svitolina, in straight sets. This season marks the start of a 10-year deal, where the tournament will be held in the Chinese city of Shenzhen. Under the agreement, a record prize money pool was implemented. Barty, who won four out of five matches played over the week, has earned $4,420,000. According to data provided by SAP Sports, she spent a total of eight hours and 52 minutes on the court throughout the championships. Meaning that for every hour played in China, she earned an estimated $490,000.
“It’s been an incredible season. Money aside, it kind of means nothing to me. I know I have the love and the support of my family.” Barty said in her press conference.
“I try and work hard every single day to chase my dreams. Regardless of how many zeros is sitting in my bank account, it doesn’t change the way I live my life, who I am and how I live as a person.’
“I think even though it’s incredible, we’re breaking records this week in particular, putting tennis on the map, putting WTA tennis on the map. I feel like we’ve earned that right to be recognized more as a global sport. For me, it doesn’t change a thing regardless of what is sitting in the bank account.”
Despite winning the biggest prize money payment from a tournament in the history of the sport, Barty isn’t showing any signs of going on a massive spending spree. Joking that she is ‘boring’ when it comes to spending cash.
“I’m pretty boring. I don’t really spend a lot on myself.” She said.
“I obviously like to spoil my family. I’m in a position where I can spoil my niece and nephew. But I’m certainly not one that lives an extravagant lifestyle. I’m pretty happy in my little house at home. I’ve got everything that I need.”
Nevertheless, it shouldn’t be underestimated just how surreal Barty’s $4.42M payment is.
Here are five things to know about Barty’s prize money goldmine.
1. It equates almost 30% of her career earnings
As of October 21st, 2019, Barty’s career prize money stood at $12,095,667. As a result of her latest triumph, her tally rises to $16,515,667. This means that 26.7% of her prize money earnings are from her triumph at the WTA Finals. As for Barty’s earnings in 2019 alone, Shenzhen accounts for 61% of it ($4,420,000 out of $11,307, 587).
2. It is more than any grand slam winner has ever earned
This year saw prize money increases at every grand slam tournament. However, the singles champions of any of those four majors (male or female) still didn’t claim as much as Barty did. The closest was the US Open, but it was still over $500,000 less than Barty’s payment.
Prize money awarded to the singles champions of the 2019 grand slams
- Australian Open: 2.9M (CNBC)
- French Open 2.62 M (Bleacher report)
- Wimbledon 3.06M (CNN)
- US Open 3.85M (official site)
NOTE: based on American dollars
3. Almost one in three top 30 players on the WTA Tour has earned less in their entire careers
Incredibly, if world No.1 never played an entire professional tournament except Shenzhen this year, her career prize money of $4.42M would still be more than nine players currently ranked in the top 30. Below is the list of players who has made less than that amount (as of 21 October 2019).
- (No.12) Sofia Kenin USA $2,616,692
- (No.16) Marketa Vondrousova CZE $3,055,580
- (No.20) Donna Vekic CRO $4,000,896
- (No.21) Amanda Anisimova USA $1,560,150
- (No.22) Maria Sakkari GRE $2,709,584
- (No.24) Dayana Yastremska UKR $1,499,077
- (No.26) Karolina Muchova CZE $1,194,382
- (No.29) Wang Qiang CHN $4,350,109*Ranking as of 3/11/19
4. Other sports are in admiration
Earlier this year Egan Bernal became the first Latin American to win the Tour de France. A 21-stage cycling race that is more than 2000 miles long. However, Bernal won an estimated $557,000. Working out at just over one eighth of what Barty earned. Cycling isn’t the only sport to be outdone by the WTA Tour :-
- Winner of The 2019 Masters (golf) – $2,070,000
- Winner of the 2019 Cricket World Cup – $4,000,000
- Winner of the 2019 Tour de France – $557,000 (estimate based on 500,000 euros)
- 2019 World snooker champion – $646,800 (estimate conversion rate of £500,000)
- An individual gold medallist at the 2019 IAAF World Championships (athletics) – $80,000
5. Barty has earned more than the three most recent Masters 1000 winners combined
On Sunday Novak Djokovic won the final Masters tournament of the year in Paris. Defeating Denis Shapovalov in straight sets. Prior to him, Daniil Medvedev triumphed in Cincinnati and Shanghai. Both of which are in the same tournament category as Paris. Yet, on financial terms, it has nothing of Barty.
Cincinnati Champion – Medvedev (won $1,114,225)
Shanghai champion – Medvedev (won $1,374,995)
Paris Champion – Djokovic (won $1,111,969)*
TOTAL = $3,601,189 ($818,811 less than Barty)
*Estimate conversion of 995,720 euros.
NOTE: Figures used in article is American dollars based on media sources and conversion rates
