FILE - The U.S. Open logo is shown on the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)Frank Franklin II/The Associated Press
Prize money at the US Open will rise to nearly US$85-million across all competitions this year, including a record US$5-million each to the women’s and men’s singles champions, and total player compensation is jumping 20 per cent to US$90-million, the most in tennis history.
The U.S. Tennis Association announced the payouts Wednesday for the year’s last Grand Slam tournament, which begins with the new mixed doubles event and its US$1-million top check on Aug. 19-20. Singles competition starts on a Sunday for the first time — Aug. 24 — as those brackets expand from 14 days to 15.
The increases at Flushing Meadows — where last year’s total compensation was US$75-million — come as the sport’s leading players have been in discussions with each of the four major tournaments in a bid to receive a higher percentage of revenues at the US Open, Wimbledon, French Open and Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff and 2024 US Open champions Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner were among 20 players who signed a letter sent to the heads of the four Grand Slam events in March seeking more prize money and a greater say in what they called “decisions that directly impact us.” Since then, some players have held talks with the majors.
The previous high amount for a US Open singles championship was US$3.85-million in 2019, before decreasing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s US$5-million check represents a 39 per cent hike from last year’s US$3.6-million. The same percentage increase was applied to the singles runners-up, who get US$2.5-million each. Semi-finalists will earn US$1.26-million, a 26 per cent rise.
At Wimbledon, which ended last month, prize money went up about seven per cent to about US$73-million at the exchange rate when the All England Club announced its player payments. The singles champions were paid about US$4-million apiece.
In New York, the winning teams in women’s and men’s doubles will receive US$1-million, a new high for those events at the US Open, where total prizes for qualifying are going up to US$8-million, a 10 per cent increase.
The US$85-million in 2025 US Open prize money includes singles, doubles, qualifying and wheelchair events.
Wednesday’s news comes after the USTA said in May that its main arena, Arthur Ashe Stadium, would be overhauled as part of a US$800-million project touted as the “largest single investment” in US Open history.