In recent years, all four Grand Slam tournaments have made huge investments in their venues and facilities.
Each court has at least two courts with retractable roofs, and the Australian Open added a third court when it renovated Margaret Court Arena in 2015.
Guaranteed games lead to an increase in TV rights deals, which go into players’ pockets.
Part of AELTC’s current nine-figure renovation of the Millennium Building includes major upgrades to the player gym, recovery areas, lounges and restaurants. When completed in 2027, the top floor will feature a rooftop terrace and garden.
The USTA is building a $250m (£189.7m) player performance center at Flushing Meadows and expanding warm-up areas, changing rooms and catering facilities.
Every year, players who participate in the qualifying rounds or the main draw receive perks from the Grand Slam. At this month’s Australian Open, players will receive a daily allowance of A$350 (£174.35), which covers the cost of a hotel room, on-site meals of A$100 (£49.81) a day, and five free racquet string changes per round.
Tennis Australia also offers travel grants, which have increased by 67% this year to A$10,000 (£4,981.30), while medical and laundry services are available at all venues as well as tickets and gifts.
The Grand Slams also invest heavily in warm-up games, otherwise they often lose money. For example, the AELTC said it has spent more than £60 million supporting grass-court events since 2019.
As well as investing proceeds into their respective country’s performance and grassroots tennis, each Grand Slam tournament also contributes $750,000 (£572,302) annually to the Grand Slam player development programme.
Major winners Elena Rybakina, Li Na and Gustavo Kuerten are among the beneficiaries of the fund, which aims to help athletes from developing tennis countries move towards professional rankings.
On the other hand, top players can broker lucrative sponsorship deals upon success.
For example, Sinner, Gauff, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek are all Rolex ambassadors and benefit from the watchmaker’s long-standing association with the Grand Slams, which in the case of Wimbledon goes back nearly half a century.
