Despite accusations of tight-fistedness, the lavish prize money on offer at the four Grand Slam tournaments represents a massive 70% of players' seasonal earnings on the ATP and WTA circuits.

After threats of strike action, player power managed to secure an increase in the prize money haul available at the upcoming Australian Open, with hefty increases for the opening rounds.

A first round loser in Melbourne next month will pick up 22,000 euros, compared to 16,000 last season, and 18,000 at the French Open in 2012 -- the Australian Open winner will receive 1.924 million euros.

That's more than some ATP events dish out to their semi-finalists.

Some tennis insiders have criticised the Grand Slams' largesse -- Australian tennis coach Darren Cahill describing the money on the table as "a bonus for mediocrity".

But this cash is essential to many lower-grade players to support their presence on the circuit.

"The Grand slam tournaments are what help us survive - they represent four major fixed annual pay cheques that we can count on," said France's Mathilde Johansson.

The world number 88 earned 185,000 euros in 2012 -- 110,000 euros of which came from Grand Slams.

The major tournaments have come under fire though for only distrubuting 20-30% of their enormous turnover to the main actors compared to the 50% given out to stars of the NBA.

"When you look at American football or basketball the percentage allocated to players is sometimes three-times greater," former champion John McEnroe points out.