Prize-money distribution is a sensitive subject, but seemingly everyone involved in the sport agrees there is not enough given to lower-ranked players. If you can qualify for all four Grand Slams, it’s a great year, financially speaking. If you are ranked in the No. 150-200 range, and miss out on the Slams, things can get pretty dicey.
For the most part, prize money doubles after every round. But in Dubai, there was nearly a 4x increase from the quarterfinal to the semifinal, and that didn’t sit well with Darren Cahill.