US Open Prize Money Rises to $85 Million with $5 Million Champions Cheques

US Open prize money increases to nearly $US85 million, including a record $US5 million each for the women's and men's singles champions. Total player compensation jumps 20% to $US90 million, the most in tennis history. The US Tennis Association announced the payouts for the year's final grand slam tournament, which begins on August 19-20.

Title: US Open Prize Money Increases to Record $85 Million

The US Open has announced a significant increase in prize money for the 2025 edition, making it the most lucrative Grand Slam tournament in tennis history. The total prize pool stands at $90 million, a 20% increase from the $75 million distributed in 2024 [1]. This substantial boost in prize money comes as the sport's leading players have been advocating for a higher percentage of revenues generated by the Grand Slams.

The men's and women's singles champions will each receive $5 million, marking a 39% increase from the previous year's $3.6 million [2]. The prize money for runners-up has also seen a significant hike, with each earning $2.5 million, up 39% from last year's $1.8 million. The increase in prize money is not limited to the top players; all rounds have seen double-digit percentage increases. For instance, singles first-round winners will now receive $110,000, a 10% increase from last year's $100,000 [1].

In addition to the singles events, the doubles and mixed doubles categories have also seen substantial increases. Winning teams in doubles will split $1 million, a new high for these events at the US Open. The mixed doubles event, introduced in a new format, will also feature a $1 million prize for the winning team, with runners-up earning $400,000 [2].

The USTA has emphasized that these increases are part of a strategic focus on redistributing prize money to provide meaningful payouts to all players. For example, prize money for the losers in the qualifying rounds has been boosted by 66% between 2019 and 2021, and additional support for players in the form of travel stipends, lodging, and racket stringing was introduced in 2023 [4].

The US Open's prize money increase comes at a time when some players have questioned whether they are receiving a fair share of the revenues generated by the pro tennis tours and the Grand Slams. Novak Djokovic, a prominent figure in the tennis community, has stated that the pie split between governing bodies in major sports is significantly lower than that of other major American sports [2].

The USTA's decision to increase prize money follows years of discussions with players about the distribution of revenues. The previous high amount for a US Open singles championship was $3.85 million in 2019, before decreasing during the COVID-19 pandemic [3]. The tournament's total compensation was $75 million in 2024, and this year's prize pool of $90 million represents a 20% increase from last year's figure.

The US Open's revenue has also seen substantial growth, with the tournament bringing in $560 million in 2024, a 47% increase from $380 million in 2018. The prize pool of $90 million in 2025 is an increase of 57% from the $57.3 million dished out in 2019 [4].

References:
[1] https://www.atptour.com/en/news/us-open-2025-prize-money
[2] https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2025/08/06/us-open-prize-money-purse-tennis-2025/85540801007/
[3] https://sportstar.thehindu.com/tennis/us-open-2025-prize-money-increase-annouced-usd-5-million-singles-champions/article69902364.ece
[4] https://www.sportico.com/leagues/tennis/2025/2025-us-open-prize-money-1234866177/