Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Coco Gauff, Novak Djokovic Make History At Record-Breaking U.S. Open

  • Early momentum at the gate extends through whole tournament.
  • Historic turnout arrives despite unseasonably warm weather.
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023 U.S. Open concluded with another record-level attendance total, further solidifying the tournament as tennis’ most lucrative major and one of the foremost sports events.

The tournament finished with a main draw total of 799,402, up 3% from last year’s 776,120. The event concluded with Coco Gauff’s victory Saturday in the women’s singles final and Novak Djokovic’s title win Sunday in men’s singles.

The new attendance record became largely inevitable very early in the tournament, as three single-day records were set in the tournament’s first four days. After that, fan interest remained high and, even as unseasonably hot and humid weather in the New York area impacted nearly all of the two weeks of play, more individual records were established.

The U.S. Open is also specifically designed to boost tennis’ accessibility to mass audiences, with a 23,771-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium, the sport’s largest facility in the world, and notoriously long-running night sessions.

All 25 sessions at the stadium sold out for the second year in a row, while both the men’s (28,804) and women’s (28,143) championship matches were the most-attended in U.S. Open history.

With the additional attendance from Fan Week that preceded the main draw, the overall U.S. Open event drew 957,387, up by nearly 8% from a year ago and marking the first Grand Slam to exceed 950,000 spectators over three weeks. 

This year’s U.S. Open featured a $65 million prize pool that is the largest of tennis’ four majors, and Gauff and Djokovic each earned $3 million for their titles. 

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

ESPN host Rece Davis

Rece Davis to Host ESPN’s Wimbledon Coverage

Davis replaces former host Chris McKendry, who is moving to play-by-play.

Wyndham Clark Captures Second U.S. Open As Fans Turn Against Him

Clark fended off his final-round playing partner, Scottie Scheffler.

Serena Williams to Make Singles Return at Wimbledon

She will also play in the doubles tournament alongside her sister, Venus.

U.S. Open Tees Off With Smaller Crowds, but Plenty of Traffic

Total daily crowds will not surpass 30,000 fans this week.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

A Conversation with Tight End University’s Greg Olsen

0:00

Featured Today

Why U.S. Open Host Sites Are on a 25-Year Plan

The U.S. Open has already picked out 22 future sites through 2051.
Wisconsin Badgers forward Laila Edwards, left, and defender Caroline Harvey celebrate after Edwards scored against the Minnesota Gophers in the first period in a game Saturday, February 8, 2025, at LaBahn Arena in Madison, Wisconsin.
June 15, 2026

Two Rookies Are Rewriting Women’s Hockey Stardom

Their platforms are a mutual boon for the PWHL and its players.
Ai sports slop
June 5, 2026

How Sports Became Ground Zero for AI Slop

The category is the perfect breeding ground for AI content churn.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Germany v Luxembourg - Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - October 10, 2025 Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann
June 4, 2026

‘Weird Corners of the World’: How to Find a World Cup Coach

National associations look for a winning record—and also hope for serendipity.
June 3, 2026

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.
Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA Commissioner poses with the first pick in the 2026 NBA draft selected by the Washington Wizards, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Wizards Land Dybantsa Ahead of NBA Lottery Overhaul

Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson rounded out the top four.
June 23, 2026

Golden Knights Owner Joins Race for Vegas NBA Expansion Team

The Golden Knights owner is leaning partially on his successful NHL track record.
Jun 14, 2026; Washington, D.C., USA; Justin Gaethje (blue gloves) fights Ilia Topuria (red gloves) during the UFC Freedom 250 at the White House South Lawn.
June 23, 2026

UFC Leans Further In to AI With New Meta Rankings

The ranking system debuted with multiple issues.
Sponsored

How Daktronics Is Reshaping the Modern MLB Ballpark Experience

The technology powering baseball’s next chapter.
June 23, 2026

NFL Slams Door on Brendan Sorsby’s Supplemental Draft Bid

The league told him to prepare to enter the 2027 NFL Draft instead.
June 23, 2026

Unrivaled and Project B Are in an Arms Race for WNBA Talent

Both leagues announced new roster signings in recent days.
June 23, 2026

Tiger Woods Returns to Public Eye to Support PGA Tour Changes

Woods was arrested in March after a rollover car crash in Florida.
June 23, 2026

PGA Tour Greenlights New Two-Series Structure to Begin in 2028

A new Championship Series and Challenger Series will run concurrently.