(FILES) An overview shows Arthur Ashe Stadium during the 2021 US Open Tennis tournament men’s singles first round match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
This year’s US Open will award a record $60.1 million in total player compensation, the US Tennis Association said on Thursday, with $2.6 million going to each singles champion, twice the runner-up total.
The prize money total tops the old mark of $57.5 million from last year, with an emphasis on boosting payouts for players in early rounds.
That means a boost to $80,000 for each singles competitor in the main draw first round and $121,000 in the second round.
Those figures represent hikes of 85% and 57% respectively since 2016.
The USTA arrived at the figures after consultation with the WTA and ATP Player Councils.
There will be more than $6.25 million distributed in qualifying rounds.
Doubles champions will be paid $688,000 per team, twice what the runner-up duo will receive.
Main draw matches for the year’s final Grand Slam event on the New York hardcourts will begin on August 29.