The champions of this year’s US Open are set to enjoy the biggest payday in tennis history.
Tournament organizers announced on Wednesday that the men’s and women’s singles champions will each earn $5 million at this year’s tournament, a 39% increase on the $3.6 million awarded in 2024.
Overall, the tournament’s prize purse will top $90 million – the largest in tennis history and a 20% increase on last year, which stood at $75 million.
There will also be sizeable increases in pay for those who progress to the latter stages of the competition, with singles finalists earning $2.5 million (a 26% increase), semifinalists $1.26 million (a 26% increase), and quarterfinalists $660,000 (a 25% increase).
For the first time at the tournament, winning teams in the men’s, women’s and mixed doubles will receive $1 million in prize money.
The increase in prize money comes after some of the world’s top players reportedly sent a letter to organizers of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open requesting a “substantial increase” in prize money.
“The US Open has made a deliberate and concerted effort to ensure double-digit percentage increases from 2024 in all rounds of all events for all players, while at the same time significantly increasing the percentage of prize money for athletes playing deep into the singles draws,” said a press release on the US Open website.
Organizers have also set aside $5 million to put towards player expenses, including a $1,000 travel stipend for each player and two hotel rooms at the official player hotel (or $600 per day for staying at alternative accommodation).
Qualifying for this year’s US Open begins on August 18, with the main singles draws getting underway on August 24 and concluding on September 7.
Sweeping – and controversial – changes have been made to the mixed doubles competition this year, which will now be staged on August 19 and 20 and include some of the biggest names in the sport.
Among some of the all-star pairings will be Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, Jannik Sinner and Emma Navarro, Casper Ruud and Iga Świątek, and Aryna Sabalenka and Grigor Dimitrov.
The rationale is that top players will then be available to appear in the mixed doubles, attracting more fans and allowing broadcasters to spotlight the competition before main draw singles play begins.
However, defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori called the format change a “pseudo-exhibition” and “profound injustice” which “disrespect(s) an entire category of players.”
Eight pairs of the 16-team field have been selected based on their combined singles ranking, while eight are wild-card entries.
The US Tennis Association told CNN Sports that the new format will “elevate mixed doubles with a bigger spotlight and provide a greater opportunity to inspire more people to play and grow the sport.”
It also said in a press release that “the world’s best players will have the opportunity to compete for this title and the multi-million dollar purse without having to juggle mixed doubles with their singles and doubles commitments.”
