US Open to Start Next Week With Largest Purse in Tennis History at $75 Million

With the U.S. Open starting on Aug. 26, excitement is growing amongst tennis fans. This year’s event has been described as the largest in terms of prize money, with more than $3.5 million allocated for each of the men’s and women’s champions, according to the event’s official website.

The world’s best players will compete at the event at Flushing Meadows USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, the final Grand Slam of the year.

Last year’s event saw a first major title for Coco Gauff in the women’s singles, and Novak Djokovic secured his 24th Slam in the men’s singles. Both will be defending their titles this year.

The total prize money for the event stands at $75 million. First-round main-draw losers in men’s and women’s singles will walk away with $100,000 each. The total prize money is a 15-percent increase from last year.

Qualifying matches took place from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22. Competing players had to win three games to secure a spot in the main draw.

This year’s event will not feature Andy Murray, who retired from the sport after his Olympic defeat earlier this month.

Cameron Norrie, Britain’s number two, will also not compete due to a forearm injury.

Rafael Nadal also withdrew earlier this month from the competition after he stated that he would not be able to give his best this time around. The Spaniard previously won the tournament on four occasions.

In her first appearance in two years, UK’s Emma Raducanu will compete against 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin from the United States in the women’s first round. Raducanu missed last year’s event due to surgery on her wrist and ankle. The world number 71 reached the quarter-finals at the Washington Open earlier this month.

World number one Jannik Sinner and four-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz will compete on Aug. 27.

Alcaraz won two of the three Grand Slam titles this year and is looking to secure his third. The Spaniard won his first U.S. Open title in 2022 when he defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud in the final.

Five-time Grand Slam champion, world number one Iga Swiatek, and two-time Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka, who withdrew from the Olympic competition earlier this month, will also compete at the U.S. Open.

According to the event’s official website, the U.S. Open Wheelchair Championships will not take place this year. The event was canceled because it clashed with the Paralympic Games.

According to the United States Tennis Association (USTA), Wheelchair players who enter the competition will be provided with a player grant equivalent to the prize money as compensation.

The U.S. Open will take place from Aug. 26 through Sept. 8. The women’s final will take place on Sept. 7 from 4 p.m. EST, followed by the men’s final the following day at 2 p.m. EST.