Prize Money for Champions at the U.S. Open Tournament
In the world of tennis, the U.S. Open has been at the forefront of promoting equality and fairness. Back in 1973, it made history by becoming the first Grand Slam tournament to award equal prize money to men's and women's singles champions. This groundbreaking move came as a result of pressure from tennis legend Billie Jean King, who threatened to boycott the tournament if the pay gap persisted.
Fast forward to 2023, and the U.S. Open continues to lead the way in championing equal rights. The tournament awarded a record-breaking prize purse of $90 million in 2025, a 20% increase from the $75 million in 2024. The singles champions will each take home $5 million, a 39% increase from last year's $3.6 million. The singles finalists will earn $2.5 million, and every round across all events will see double-digit percentage increases.
The Australian Open, another Grand Slam tournament, followed suit in 2001, reinstating equal pay for men and women after initially backing out in 1996. Wimbledon and the French Open also started offering equal pay to men's and women's champions in 2007.
Recently, a group of 20 players, including Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Jannik Sinner, signed a letter to the heads of the four Grand Slam events in the spring of 2023. The letter suggested that prize money should reflect a more appropriate percentage of tournament revenues, reflective of the players' contribution to the tournament's value.
While no female tennis player made an official public statement in 2023 specifically about increased Grand Slam prize money and improved player rights, the contributions of advocates like Billie Jean King continue to inspire change. Brian Hainline, president and chairman of the board for the U.S. Tennis Association, stated in 2023 that no individual has done more to secure equality for female athletes than Billie Jean King, 50 years after equal pay was instituted at the U.S. Open.
Rachel King, a news writer at Town & Country, has covered the travel and lifestyle aspects of tennis extensively. Her work has appeared in Forbes, Observer, Robb Report, Cruise Critic, and Cool Hunting, among others. As we look forward to the 2025 U.S. Open, it's clear that the fight for equal rights and fair prize money in tennis continues to be a crucial issue.
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