U.S. Open tennis to offer record prize money in 2018

[July 18, 2018]    Singles champions at the U.S. Open tennis tournament will leave New York in September with a fatter wallet than last year's victors.

A general view as an American flag waves in the wind over Arthur Ashe Stadium during the match between Roger Federer of Switzerland and Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany on day eight of the U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Winners of the men's and women's brackets will each earn $3.8 million, an increase of $100,000 from 2017, according to the United States Tennis Association. Total prize money across all the divisions will total a record $53 million.

The runners-up in the singles divisions will each receive $1.85 million. The winning teams in both men's and women's doubles will share $700,000, according to the USTA.

In 1973, this tournament became the first to offer equal prize money to male and female competitors, the organization said.

The total $53 million purse for the 2018 US Open is more than a 5 percent increase on the $50.4 million offered in 2017. Prize money at the U.S. Open has increased by 57 percent since 2013, the USTA said.

The tournament is scheduled to run Aug. 27-Sept. 9 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. This year marks the tournament's 50th anniversary.

--Field Level Media

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