( CNN ) -- Wimbledon organizers have increased prize money for the men 's and women 's champions to £1 million ( $ 1.53 million ) . The All England Club has sanctioned the £150,000 rise to offset the effects of the falling value of the British pound against the US dollar and euro . The total prize money for the event will be £13.725 million , an increase of £1.175 million on 2009 . The All England Club agreed to pay women the same prize money as men for the first time in 2007 . The £1 million prize for the 2010 ladies singles ' champion is more than double that of eight years ago . `` Wimbledon exists in a highly competitive global marketplace and it is the world 's best players who create and drive the interest , '' said All England Club chairman Tim Phillips in a statement on the tournament Web site . `` It is important that we offer a level of prize money which is both appropriate to the prestige of the event and which gives the players full and fair reward . '' Phillips also announced that this year 's tournament , which runs from June 21 to July 4 , will be a `` World Cup-free zone '' , with football fans denied the chance to watch matches on the big screens at the All England Club . `` This is arguably the leading tennis tournament in the world and people come here to watch tennis , '' Phillips added . `` If people want to watch the World Cup they should go to South Africa or watch it on the TV . '' Meanwhile , world number three Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the Barcelona Open in order to rest an ongoing knee problem . Nadal , who won the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday , had been expected to attempt to win his sixth title in a row at him home tournament . `` I am really sorry not to be able to play in Barcelona , more than any other tournament , but this year after the win in Monte Carlo my body is asking me to rest , '' Nadal told his official Web site .
Wimbledon men and womens ' champions to receive £1 million prize money . The figure is £150,000 higher than last year 's total . Comment: Rafael Nadal pulls out of Barcelona Open to rest knee injury .