The rain covers protect a court at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in LondonBy Martyn Herman LONDON (Reuters) – First-round singles losers at this year's Wimbledon championships will receive 27,000 pounds ($45,400) prize money as organizers continue to help the sport's lesser lights make ends meet. Outlining how the grasscourt grand slam's increased 25 million pounds prize pot will be distributed, the All England Club announced a 14.9 percent raise for first-round losers in the main draw of the men's and women's singles. At the top end this year's singles champions will bank 1.76 million pounds ($2.9 million), a 10 percent increase on the 1.6 million pounds Andy Murray and Marion Bartoli earned last year. That compares favorably with the 1.65 million euros ($2.3 million) for the singles champions at next month's French Open while Stanislas Wawrinka and Li Na earned $2.65 million for their wins at the Australian Open in January.

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