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The US Open has finally closed the book on 2025 with another set of records measuring fan activity around the tennis major, but the historic totals didn’t happen without some headaches along the way.
The U.S. Tennis Association said Monday that the final attendance for the tournament was 1.14 million, a new record and 9% higher than last year’s total of 1.049 million. As was the case last year, the 2025 number is inclusive of both preliminary competition and the main draw.
That topline number, similar to recent years, continues to showcase the surging popularity of the US Open and its unrivaled ability to showcase tennis to the masses. There are some growing strains under the total, though.
The attendance of U.S. President Donald Trump for the men’s singles final Sept. 7 between winner Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner caused widespread security issues and a 48-minute delay in the start of the match. More broadly, the growth of the US Open is increasingly showing its weight across multiple areas, including more difficult fan access to and within the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, on local mass transit, and in area neighborhoods.
The release of the attendance number this year also diverged heavily from recent practice. In prior years, that figure normally arrived just hours after the men’s final and the conclusion of the tournament. This year, it wasn’t announced until Monday afternoon, eight days later.
The 15 days of the main US Open draw, expanded by a day this year in a move unpopular among players, had an attendance of 905,255, also up 9% from last year. The preceding fan week drew a record 239,307, up 10% and boosted in part by a reimagined mixed doubles championship.
Big on TV
ESPN, meanwhile, reported banner numbers last week of its own for coverage of the US Open. The men’s final between Alcaraz and Sinner averaged 3 million viewers, an 82% surge from last year’s final and the best number for that event since 2015.
The women’s final, won by Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday, averaged 2.4 million viewers, up 50% from 2024.
Both measures are further examples of Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel audience measurement system. The recently introduced process is designed to provide a fuller, more accurate view of viewership patterns, including tens of millions of additional data points from set-top boxes and smart TVs.
The start of the 2025 season has seen a similar boost under the new process.
Serving Up Record Sips
The USTA also said more records were set in and around the US Open, most notably the sale of 738,459 Honey Deuce signature cocktails that represented a 32% increase from the 2024 number.
Overall, US Open merchandise sales grew 27% year-over-year, while the tournament’s digital platforms totaled 47 million visits, up 19% from 2024, and social media interactions on official channels reached 3.1 million, up 34%.
