The prize money for the US Open has increased by 20 percent this year to a record high of 73.1 million euros. The singles champions will each receive 4.3 million euros, the highest amount ever awarded at a Grand Slam tournament.
Including fees for accommodation, travel costs and other contributions, the total player compensation comes to 77.4 million euros. That is also a record in tennis. The American Tennis Association announced the new amounts on Wednesday.
The increase for the singles winners is significant. Last year, the prize money for the champions was 3.6 million euros. That means an increase of more than 700,000 euros.
The tournament in New York starts on Monday, August 19 with a mixed doubles tournament. The winners will share 860,000 euros. The singles starts on Sunday, August 24, a day earlier than usual. As a result, the tournament now lasts fifteen days.
The increase in prize money follows pressure from the players. In March, twenty top tennis players – including Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Jannik Sinner – signed a joint letter to the four Grand Slam organizations. They pleaded for a larger share of the income and more influence on decisions that directly affect them.
Also more prize money for non-winners
Not only the winners benefit. The losing finalists in the singles will receive 2.15 million euros this year, an increase of 39 percent compared to last year. Semi-finalists receive more than 1 million euros, which amounts to an increase of 26 percent.
The prize money in doubles is also increasing: the winning duos for men and women will each receive 860,000 euros. In the qualifying tournament, the total amount increases by 10 percent to 6.9 million euros.
The announcement follows shortly after the news that the Arthur Ashe Stadium will be renovated as part of an investment of 688 million euros. The organization describes the project as the largest investment ever in the history of the US Open.