Huge salary Wimbledon umpires can bank at this year
What do umpires do? Wimbledon umpires keep a low profile on their high chairs on the side of the court, but don't underestimate their value. Keeping score may be their main job but the best in the world are often performing multiple tasks at once to ensure matches at SW19 run smoothly.
Responsibilities: Umpires are required to maintain the welfare of ball kids, fans and, of course, the players on court. That's a lot of responsibility, and one that requires rigorous training. Whatever challenges arise during a match - from medical emergencies to verbal tirades from frustrated players - they have to remain composed enough to deal with them.
How much do umpires earn a year? Being an umpire is no 9-5 job and, given the number of variables at play, it means accepting that your salary could fluctuate every year. In a standard season, an umpire can take home an estimated £350,000 per annum.
How much umpires earn at Grand Slams: While there is no set salary throughout the year, at Grand Slam events such as Wimbledon, it is thought they earn £5,000 for a men's tie and £2,500 for a women's clash. Women's matches are shorter as they play best-of-three sets, which may be the reason behind receiving half pay.
What qualifications do umpires need? Umpires must obtain a Level 3 certificate to advance their careers into professional umpiring. From there, the ATP, ITF and WTA conduct annual reviews as they look to build up from a bronze badge to gold, which increases their chances of earning a higher wage. The Wimbledon website states there are 149 officials working at The Championships.
How many umpires work at Wimbledon? The website adds the team comprises of 40 chair umpires and 64 match assistants, with a further 10 off-court staff and 36 review officials. There are 40 chair umpires assigned each day, with the other officials working as match assistants.
Nationalities: The majority of officials are British, all members of ABTO (Association of British Tennis Officials) and 80 overseas officials from all over the world, including the team of seven ITF/Grand Slam chair umpires that officiate at all four Grand Slams. The chief umpire is Andrew Wynne, who is tasked with appointing officials. A custom-made computer system and a team of assistants help this process.
What happened to line judges? For the first time in its 148-year history, line judges were replaced with technology for the 2025 edition of The Championships. Line judges were paid around £200 a day, plus expenses, before their role was scrapped last year. Instead of making them redundant, a large portion of line judges were designated to work as match assistants instead. The new job responsibilities include escorting players who need to leave the court or stepping in if the technology fails.
READ THE FULL STORY: £3k uniforms and secret tunnels - life as a Wimbledon line judge before robots took my job
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