US Open Announces Record Prize Money Amid Player Protest Threat

The US Open has responded to possible player pay protests by awarding another record purse.

The 2026 US Open will offer $108 million in total player compensation, a 20% increase from $90 million last year, the USTA announced Thursday. The men’s and women’s singles winners will take home $5.5 million, up from last year’s record $5 million prize. 

The announcement also came with the introduction of a Grand Slam Player Advisory Council and a $2 million fund that will go toward player welfare, two other requests that players have been asking for since last year.

It appears that these have been enough to stave off a protest by players at the US Open following a coordinated media protest conducted by top men’s and women’s players at Roland-Garros in May. Top ATP and WTA players said in a joint statement that they “welcomed” the announcement made by the US Open of increased prize money and additional commitment to player welfare.

“These steps represent important progress in the ongoing conversations between players and the US Open over the past eighteen months,” the statement read. 

Players have been asking for an increase in the share of total revenue Grand Slams bring in. Players typically receive about 15% of revenue share at Grand Slam events, and are seeking 22% by 2030. 

It’s unclear how much the $108 million player compensation compares to the 2026 projected revenue of the US Open. The 2026 prize represents 19.3% of the $559.7 million operating revenue in 2024, the latest publicly available number. (The prize pool is less than total player compensation, which includes additional support provided to players for out-of-pocket expenses. That amount was $5 million in 2025, though the tour did not announce that figure this year.) 

The US Open player compensation bump equals that of Wimbledon, which came a month after the French Open protests. Players did not continue protests at Wimbledon.

Apart from share of revenue, players have also lobbied for increased pension support and a larger voice when it comes to Grand Slam decision-making. 

In response, the USTA’s announcement included a $2 million commitment in a player support program that will be equally split between men’s and women’s players. The program is “designed to complement existing end-of-career pension funds.”

“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,” new USTA CEO Craig Tiley said in the announcement.

The USTA also announced a Grand Slam Player Advisory Council alongside the other three Grand Slams: the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, and Wimbledon. 

In a social media post, the US Open said the council “will provide a new platform for players and the Grand Slams to work together to shape the future of the tournaments and advance our shared goal of greater player support.”

The council appears to be in direct response to players’ requests to be more involved in the decision-making process of the Slams. It’s not yet clear which players will be a part of the council.

Last week, Jessica Pegula, a member of the WTA Players’ Council, told Front Office Sports that the USTA has been the most active of the Grand Slam organizers in communicating with players about their needs. However, she said players were awaiting the prize money details before making a decision on protesting during the Grand Slam.

“I think going into the US Open, we’re still waiting on a prize money announcement, so we haven’t really made any big decisions,” Pegula said. “They have definitely come to the table as far as wanting to change some of the stuff that’s been going on. I don’t know how much, how far they’re willing to.” 

The US Open main draw begins Aug. 30, while qualifying week starts Aug. 24.