BBC Wimbledon presenter Clare Balding has suggested that defending men's champion Jannik Sinner should have shared a portion of his £3 million prize money from last year's title win with Grigor Dimitrov. The comment came live on air after Dimitrov's emotional victory on Court 1 on Thursday evening.
Dimitrov's injury and Sinner's path to the title
Sinner claimed his maiden Wimbledon title in 2025 by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final, avenging a crushing French Open loss to the same rival. However, his path to the final was significantly aided by a fortunate turn of events in the last 16. Sinner was trailing two sets to love against Grigor Dimitrov, who was playing brilliantly and poised to inflict a shocking early exit on the now-world No. 1.
With the score at 2-2 in the third set, Dimitrov collapsed clutching his pectoral muscle and was forced to retire. He left Wimbledon in tears, and it was later revealed that he had popped a pectoral muscle, leading to a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Sinner progressed and ultimately claimed the trophy.
Dimitrov's triumphant return
Nearly 12 months later, Dimitrov enjoyed a significant moment back on the same stage. Having received a wildcard after months out injured, he impressively defeated 15th seed Jakub Mensik on Court 1 to advance to the third round. The crowd, clearly recalling last year's distressing episode, cheered every winning shot enthusiastically. The atmosphere reached fever pitch when the 35-year-old clinched his 7-6(5) 4-6 7-5 6-3 triumph, securing passage to the next round against Matteo Berrettini.
Dimitrov was visibly emotional during his on-court interview, needing to pause to regain his composure. After he departed the court, Balding enthused about his return and suggested he contributed significantly to Sinner's championship success.
Balding's remarks on prize money
"Sinner should have given him a percentage," Balding remarked on the BBC following Dimitrov's match. Sinner collected £3 million last year for securing the main trophy, and even a portion of that would represent a considerable sum.
This year, competitors are lobbying for a greater proportion of Grand Slam revenue. Sinner is spearheading the discussion, with a collective of players calling for 22 per cent of the funds distributed across the majors. The amount in 2026 had been raised to 14.4 per cent.
