WHITE PLAINS, July 18, 2019 (USTA Press Release)
The USTA today announced that total player compensation for the 2019 US Open will surpass $57 million for the first time, maintaining the US Open as the richest purse in tennis history. The USTA worked collaboratively with the ATP and WTA Tour to determine specific prize money levels on a round-by-round basis, including for the US Open Qualifying Tournament. The individual payouts for each round of the tournament are all Grand Slam records.
In addition to the prize money provided to the players by the US Open, the USTA will make a payment of $1,000,000 ($500,000 per tour) to support the ATP and WTA Tour player programs including pension.
The new record total represents an 8% increase over 2018 total compensation. Main draw prize money for the first round (round of 128) has increased by 47% over the last four years, and in that same time the second round (round of 64) has increased by 46%. By committing to these large increases for the opening rounds, the USTA’s goal is to provide a better financial balance that benefits all players.
Both the men’s and women’s singles champions will earn $3.85 million, and the men’s and women’s doubles champion teams will earn $740,000, both payouts the highest in US Open history. The US Open Qualifying Tournament, which this year will see a near 20% increase in total prize money, and a doubling of prize money over the past four years, will offer more than $3.5 million in prize money for the first time.
Round-by-round individual prize money for the US Open is as follows:
“The US Open prides itself on offering the best tennis players in the world, the richest total prize money in our sport,” said Patrick Galbraith, USTA Chairman of the Board and President. “We strive to be innovative, and feel that our new contribution of $500,000 to the ATP’s player programs including its pension and the WTA Tour’s transition programs for players will go a long way toward the long-term financial well-being of all of our sport’s athletes.”
US Open Fan Week begins with the US Open Qualifying Tournament and a full slate of free events for the public on Monday, August 19. The Main Draw of the US Open begins on Monday, August 26 and runs through the Sunday, September 8 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
