USTA head Craig Tiley explains record US Open prize money
The United States Tennis Association announced a record US Open prize pool of $108 million. USTA Chief Executive Officer Craig Tiley said the increase in payouts is intended to ensure players receive a fair share of the tournament’s revenue, Channel NewsAsia reports.
Record payouts for participants
The US Open prize pool has become the largest in tennis history. The winners of the men’s and women’s singles events will each receive $5.5 million, 10% more than last year. This is the largest sum ever paid to a singles champion at a Grand Slam tournament.
Players who lose in the first round of the singles draw will receive $140,000 each. This is 27% more than last year and, according to the USTA, is also a record for Grand Slam tournaments.
Players’ demands and additional payments
Several leading tennis players, including Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, demanded that Grand Slam tournaments increase the share of revenue allocated to prize money. During a protest at the French Open and Wimbledon, they limited their pre-tournament interactions with the media.
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Tiley, who took over as head of the USTA in February after a long tenure leading Tennis Australia, noted that player compensation was one of his priorities. In addition to prize money, players were provided with a $2,500 Uber voucher and an American Express card with $1,000 in credit.
Wildcard for Wawrinka
The USTA chief also commented on the wildcard situation involving three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka. The Swiss player was initially not included on the list of recipients of special invitations, prompting criticism from fans, as this season is his farewell one. After Patrick Kypson withdrew, Wawrinka was granted a wildcard.
According to Tiley, when distributing special invitations, the USTA initially prioritized young American players who fell just short of qualifying directly for the main draw. The US Open main draw begins on Sunday.
