Photo credit: US Open/USTA
The 2026 US Open will present a major player raise.
The Flushing Meadows major will pay out $108 million in prize money, the largest player prize pool in pro tennis history.
The $108 million represents a 20 percent increase from the previous record set at the 2025 US Open ($90 million) – the second consecutive year of a 20 percent increase and a 44 percent increase in total compensation over two years.
The 2026 US Open singles champions will receive the largest Grand Slam pay check in history at $5.5 million. Players who contest the US Open singles first round will earn $140,000.
The compensation package also includes a new Player Support Program seeded with an initial $2 million commitment in 2026, equally split between men and women players.
“This is a significant first step in a multi-year investment in athletes as the US Open continues to be the best economic opportunity for players and the most valuable platform in tennis for players, fans and partners,” USTA CEO Craig Tiley said. “We are proud to deliver record-setting prize money and expanded player benefits as well as providing a new platform to work together with players.”
The question is: Will the prize money package satisfy players, including world No. 1 champions Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner, who have both called for Grand Slams to share a greater percentage of revenue with the players.
The US Open will become the first Grand Slam to establish a Player Support Program. As part of the total 2026 compensation, the US Open committed an initial $2 million, equally split between men and women players, which will be held in an escrow account pending the finalization of details of the new program, with guidance and input from the newly formed Grand Slam Player Council.
The USTA announced it is: “Designed to complement existing end-of-career pension funds, this new US Open program will bring a range of benefits for mid-career life events and retirement transitions. It will be built upon a simple definition of player eligibility without reliance on ranking tiers, making the program available to US Open main draw singles and doubles competitors.”
Additionally, in a separate Grand Slam announcement today, the US Open joined the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, and Wimbledon to form a new Grand Slam Player Council to give players a voice in on-court and in-tournament issues. The Player Council will also provide recommendations to the US Open to guide how the new US Open Player Support Program will be deployed.
“The US Open has a long history of listening to players, and this player support program and Council builds on that commitment. We look forward to working directly with players to better understand the opportunities and challenges they face, and to continue finding meaningful ways to support them both on and off the court,” said Brian Vahaly, Chairman of the Board and President of the USTA.