Skip to content

LEAGUES News

US Open prize money up to nearly $85M, including record sums for winners

Erick W. Rasco / Sports Illustrated / Getty

Prize money at the U.S. Open will rise to nearly $85 million across all competitions this year, including a record $5 million each to the women's and men's singles champions, and total player compensation is jumping 20% to $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 $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 $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 U.S. Open, Wimbledon, French Open and Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff and 2024 U.S. 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 U.S. Open singles championship was $3.85 million in 2019, before decreasing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year's $5 million check represents a 39% hike from last year's $3.6 million. The same percentage increase was applied to the singles runners-up, who get $2.5 million each. Semifinalists will earn $1.26 million, a 26% rise.

At Wimbledon, which ended last month, prize money went up about 7% to about $73 million at the exchange rate when the All England Club announced its player payments. The singles champions were paid about $4 million apiece.

In New York, the winning teams in women's and men's doubles will receive $1 million, a new high for those events at the U.S. Open, where total prizes for qualifying are going up to $8 million, a 10% increase.

The $85 million in 2025 U.S. 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 an $800 million project touted as the "largest single investment" in U.S. Open history.

___

Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich. More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

RELATED NEWS

Eagles Pro Bowl left guard exits stadium practice with a lef...
TYLER SHOUGH 54-YARD TOUCHDOWN Watch on @NFLNetwork Stream ...
Saints' Shough responds to pick-6 with 54-yard TD pass 🚀
ISAAC COLLINS #WALKOFF HOMER! NINE STRAIGHT @BREWERS WINS! ...
Brewers win 9th straight game thanks to Collins' walk-off HR 😳
Luke Keaschall #WALKOFF homer! The @Twins win it in the 11t...
Twins walk off Royals thanks to Keaschall's HR in 11th 🥳
MLB HISTORY Justin Verlander becomes just the 10th pitcher ...
Verlander becomes 10th pitcher in MLB history with 3,500 strikeouts 👏
How did Adolis García stick with this baseball?!?!
Rangers' Garcia makes ridiculous juggling catch with bare hand 😳
Jose Altuve hits career home run No. 250!
Altuve becomes 25th player in MLB history with 250 HR, 250 SB 👏