US Open hits US$108 million purse record as ticket prices soar
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This year’s US Open is shaping up to be one of the most financially successful.
PHOTO: AFP
The 2026 US Open purse will reach US$108 million (S$137 million), representing the largest player compensation package in the sport’s history.
Winners of the singles main draw will take home US$5.5 million, according to a statement on Aug 20 from the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Competitors in the first-round will receive US$140,000. Overall compensation for this year’s tournament is up 20 per cent from 2025, according to USTA.
The jump in pay comes during a years-long battle between the four major Grand Slam tournaments and professional players, who have been pushing for a greater share of competition revenue, arguing that prize money has not kept pace with the sport’s financial growth. Players are also seeking better benefits and greater representation in decisions affecting compensation and welfare.
To address player concerns, the four majors announced the formation of a Grand Slam player advisory council set to launch at this year’s US Open. The group will focus on player input involving sporting matters at the four Grand Slam tournaments including pay, governance and decision-making, according to the statement.
USTA said it would invest an initial US$2 million in a new player support program aimed at bringing a range of benefits for mid-career life events and retirement transitions. The investment will be split equally between women’s and men’s players, USTA said.
This year’s US Open is shaping up to be one of the most financially successful, as ticket prices soar and once-cheap grounds passes sell for prices in the triple digits. Some grounds tickets sold via Ticketmaster were listed as low as US$65 when they went on sale, according to the tournament website.
“The idea that a day-one ground pass is US$363 is absurd,” billionaire investor and tennis fan Bill Ackman said in a post on X Aug 19.
“The USTA’s mission is to promote the sport of tennis. How is a US$363 ground pass consistent with this mission?”
USTA has long pushed its fan week, leading up to the start of the US Open, as a way for fans to access the grounds for free, and view qualifying rounds and practice sessions.
Still, longtime fans and attendees of the Queens, New York, event worry about the prospect of being priced out of the year’s final Grand Slam, with some questioning the event’s increased catering to a more affluent crowd.
The singles main draw is set to begin on Aug 30. BLOOMBERG
