US Open Prize Money Hits Record $108 Million

The US Open prize money has reached a record USD 108 million, making the tournament’s purse the largest in tennis history.

Organisers announced the increase on Thursday, with the total prize fund now worth about INR 1,000 crore. The move comes after months of pressure from leading players over how much tournament revenue is returned to competitors.

The men’s and women’s singles champions at Flushing Meadows will each collect USD 5.5 million. That is the biggest winner’s payment ever offered at a Grand Slam and represents a 10 per cent increase from last year.

The rise also extends to players at the other end of the draw. The first-round prize money will increase by 27 per cent to USD 140,000, giving early-round competitors a significant boost.

The decision follows growing debate over player compensation at tennis’s biggest events. Leading stars, including Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, had previously limited their media commitments at earlier Grand Slams while pushing for players to receive a larger share of tournament revenues.

In a statement issued on behalf of top players, they welcomed the latest increase while making clear that the broader debate over revenue sharing remains unresolved.

“These steps represent important progress in the ongoing conversations between players and the U.S. Open over the past 18 months,” top players said in ‌a press release issued on their behalf.

“This is a substantial increase in prize money. While this is not yet tied to an agreed revenue-sharing formula, players remain committed to that ⁠principle and will continue to work with each of the ⁠Grand Slams toward that goal.”

The latest increase means the US Open prize money has moved further ahead as players continue to seek a closer link between tournament revenues and their earnings.

The players’ statement also suggests that the dispute has not ended. Although the new figures represent a major increase, there is still no agreed formula connecting prize money directly to the revenue generated by the Grand Slam.

For the US Open, however, the decision represents a substantial financial commitment. The record purse provides higher rewards throughout the tournament while giving the singles champions the largest individual payments in Grand Slam history.

The increase could also influence the wider conversation about how tennis distributes its growing commercial revenues. Players have continued to argue that their compensation should better reflect the value they create for the sport’s biggest events.

For now, the US Open prize money increase marks a significant step in that discussion, while the players have indicated that they will continue working with all four Grand Slam tournaments towards their longer-term revenue-sharing goal.

Will the record US Open prize money be enough to satisfy players’ demands for greater revenue sharing?