Why Wimbledon figures look great

These three contracts under-pin additional income generated from official product suppliers covering everything from coffee to security services.

The All England Club also raise substantial funds from the five-yearly issue of debentures - a sort of posh season ticket. The most recent release of 200 debentures (for 2001-2005) raised £4.6m.

Barclays Capital and UBS Warburg now make a market in debentures; the most recent value was £31,500 - a 36 per cent premium to the cost.

That is one indication of Wimbledon's worldwide popularity as is the tournament's website which recorded 2.3 billion hits last year.

With that massive level of interest, the knock-on effect for competitors is similarly beneficial.

Phil de Picciotto, president of athlete representation for sports management giants Octagon, is in town this week to see his tennis-playing clients. He said: "There is a premium based on winning.

"Success adds substantial value in the form of endorsements and guarantees for future tournaments.

"Wimbledon's importance for a player is beyond question. It creates visibility and name recognition."

Although there is more prize money on offer at other tournaments, Wimbledon's stature ensures that playing success in SW19 equates with longer-term financial rewards.

There are up to six revenue streams a player can exploit if successful at the world's most prestigious tennis tournament.

Firstly, there is the prize money. Even reaching the quarter-finals is worth £65,000 for the men and £56,875 for the women and winning the title is worth £500,000 and £462,500 respectively. Secondly there are product endorsements and thirdly, should a player be successful at Wimbledon, he or she can expect further incentive payments to be added to the basic product-endorsement fee.

The fourth source of revenue comes from royalty income when a player's name is used in the name of equipment or clothing.

Revenue number five, for the really big names, is an equity stake in the manufacturer and then, number six, is making a living after retiring from tennis by being a celebrity.

AS de Picciotto puts it: "A tennis player's value is enhanced by longevity - becoming an established winner on the tennis scene creates further opportunity when the playing days are over."

Even the basic endorsement fees paid to players can be enormous, but what do product manufacturers such as Nike and Reebok get out of it?

De Picciotto said: "What is most important is the size and location of the market the player can influence.

"It is unhelpful to the supplier if the tournament is not on TV. Wimbledon enjoys more TV coverage than any other."

So the supplier pays for exposure? "Absolutely."

As sales of Venus-inspired Reebok tennis dresses soared following Miss Williams' success last year, the sportswear company signed a £28m, five-year deal with the women's champion.

It is anticipated that the modelling assignment on the eve of this year's tournament for the new Reebok tennis dress will have a similar effect on sales.

Further success for Miss Williams will create the potential for the fourth and fifth streams of income.

And failure? "There will be no negative commercial result following Martina Hingis' first-round exit because she is established as the world's No1," said de Picciotto.

And of course, Omega, who sponsor her, did at least have the advantage of seeing Hingis in action, albeit briefly, at Wimbledon.

The real losers were Berlie, who had planned an entire advertising campaign for a new bra around Russian star Anna Kournikova and Wimbledon fortnight.

The campaign slogan was that a Berlie bra "brings everything to a standstill."

Unfortunately for Berlie, and her legion of fans, Kournikova was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon due to a foot injury.

The ad posters still went up all over London, however, and Kournikova got her undisclosed fee.

Doubtless, she was grateful for their support.