If you think all pro tennis tournaments are moving toward a simple 50/50 split for men and women, the situation in the desert might surprise you. Honestly, it’s one of the few places on the tour where the "pay gap" actually flipped in favor of the women recently. It’s wild. The Dubai tennis prize money conversation isn’t just about the millions of dollars flying around; it’s about how the tournament structures its two very different weeks of play.
You’ve got the ATP 500 week for the guys and the WTA 1000 week for the ladies. Because the women’s event is a higher tier on their respective tour, the total purse for the WTA side has actually surged ahead. In 2025, we saw the women’s total prize pool hit roughly $3.65 million, while the men’s ATP 500 pool sat at about $3.23 million. That’s a gap of nearly $400,000 in favor of the WTA. For 2026, those numbers are expected to edge even higher as Dubai Duty Free continues to flex its financial muscle.
Breaking Down the 2026 Paycheck
The money doesn't just go to the person lifting the trophy. Far from it. Most of the players are looking to survive the first few rounds just to cover their coaching staff and flights.
In the men's singles for 2025, the champion, Stefanos Tsitsipas, walked away with $605,530. If you're looking at the 2026 projections, expect that winner's check to hover around the $610,000 to $620,000 mark, assuming the standard 3-5% annual inflation the tour likes to see.
But look at the early exits. Losing in the first round of the ATP 500 in Dubai still nets a player $25,250. That sounds like a lot for a few hours of work, right? It isn't. When you factor in taxes, a full-time traveling coach, a physio, and hotels, that check is basically gone before the player even leaves the airport.
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On the WTA side, the 1000-level status means more points and a bigger overall pot, though the winner's check is sometimes slightly lower than the men's because the draw is larger. In 2025, the women's champion took home $597,000. The real value for the women is in the depth of the prize money distribution. Reaching the semifinals of the WTA 1000 event pays out $181,400, which is more than the $173,620 the men get for the same result.
Why the Women Earn More Overall
It basically comes down to tournament "grades." Dubai is an ATP 500 event. This means it’s the third-highest level on the men’s tour. For the women, it’s a WTA 1000. That is the highest level outside of the Grand Slams.
Sinead El Sibai, who runs marketing for Dubai Duty Free, has been pretty vocal about this. She noted that since 2005, the tournament has pushed for equality, but the current disparity is simply a reflection of the tournament’s status on the calendar. Since the women’s week is a "1000" and the men's is a "500," the WTA side naturally attracts a larger total investment to meet tour requirements.
ATP Singles Estimates (Expected 2026)
- Winner: ~$615,000
- Finalist: ~$330,000
- Semifinalist: ~$176,000
- Quarterfinalist: ~$90,000
- Round 2: ~$48,000
- Round 1: ~$26,000
WTA Singles Estimates (Expected 2026)
- Winner: ~$610,000
- Finalist: ~$360,000
- Semifinalist: ~$185,000
- Quarterfinalist: ~$85,000
- Round of 16: ~$42,000
- Round 1: ~$17,500
The Doubles Struggle
If you think the singles players have it tough with expenses, the doubles players are practically playing for lunch money. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but the drop-off is steep.
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The winning men's doubles team in 2025 split $198,880. That’s under $100k per person for winning the entire tournament. If you lose in the first round of doubles, the team gets **$13,890**. Split that two ways, subtract taxes and travel, and you’re essentially paying to be there.
The WTA doubles winners split $175,900. It’s a weird quirk of the Dubai Tennis Championships—the singles women earn more in total than the singles men, but the men’s doubles teams have historically had a slightly higher payout than the women’s teams.
The "Tax-Free" Illusion
People always talk about Dubai being a tax-free haven. It’s true that the UAE doesn't levy personal income tax on the prize money earned there. However, most pro players are "residents" of places like Monaco or have to report their global earnings back to their home countries (looking at you, Americans).
The IRS doesn't care if the tennis was played in Dubai or Des Moines; they want their cut. So while the players get the full check at the trophy ceremony, a huge chunk of that dubai tennis prize money eventually flows back to various government tax offices around the world.
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Looking Ahead to 2026
The 2026 edition is set to be a landmark year as the tournament continues to compete with the massive "Sunshine Double" (Indian Wells and Miami) that follows immediately after the Middle East swing. To keep the big names like Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Jannik Sinner coming to the Aviation Club, the organizers have to keep the purse competitive.
We aren't just seeing a rise in the winner's check. The ATP and WTA are both mandating higher "base" pay for players who lose early. This is part of a broader tour-wide effort to ensure that players ranked 50-100 can actually afford to stay on tour.
If you're planning to follow the money in 2026, watch the WTA 1000 week closely. It’s the crown jewel of the tournament’s financial portfolio. The growth there is outstripping the men's side by about 4% annually.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Bettors
- Compare Tiers: Don't compare the Dubai men's payouts to the women's and assume a bias. Always check the tournament "category" (500 vs 1000).
- Watch Early Rounds: The biggest percentage increases in prize money are happening in the Round of 32 and Round of 64 to support lower-ranked players.
- Account for Expenses: When you see a player win $25k for a first-round loss, remember that their net profit is often closer to zero after paying their team.
- Follow Official Releases: The final 2026 breakdown is usually confirmed only 48 hours before the draw begins. Keep an eye on the official ATP and WTA "Fact Sheets" for the most precise figures.
The landscape is shifting. Dubai remains one of the most lucrative stops on the calendar outside the Slams, and its commitment to the women's game specifically is setting a precedent that other 500-level tournaments are struggling to match.