The Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova isn't convinced it's a good idea to give first round losers at next year's Australian Open a huge pay increase as part of a 5 million dollar rise in overall prize money.
Tournament organisers announced earlier this month that the total prize money pool at the opening grand slam of 2013 had risen to 38 million dollars, making it the richest event in tennis.
While the exact breakdown of prize money is yet to be announced, it is expected that the biggest increases will be weighted towards the early rounds -- a move intended to counter concerns that lower-ranked players were struggling to sustain careers on the ATP and WTA Tours.
Roger Federer, president of the men's ATP Player Council, has expressed sympathy with the rank and file players who rarely reach the latter rounds of major tournaments where the big money is made but Sharapova is not convinced it is a good move.
She says the compensation as you win more rounds is right, but she's not sure about the first rounds.
Sharapova has earned 25 million in prize money.
