The US Open is the last Grand Slam of the tennis season. It is held annually in New York starting from the last week of August and continues for two weeks. It is played on hard courts, similar to the Australian Open. It is one of the oldest tennis tournaments in the world (144 years old) and Wimbledon is only four years older (147 years old). The US Open is also one of the most popular Grand Slams, as it marks the final Grand Slam of the season.
This year the US Open will start on August 24 and end on September 7.
The US Open takes place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York City.
Venue and Location: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York, the United States of America.
Grand Slam tournaments are the most prestigious tournaments in tennis, offering the highest prize money and ATP and WTA points. There are four Grand Slam tournaments in total: the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
Qualification
- Direct Entry: Top-ranked players automatically qualify based on the ATP and WTA rankings. For the men’s singles, the top 104 players who sign up for the tournament gain direct entry. For women’s singles, it is typically the top 108 players.
- Qualifying Tournament: Players outside the direct entry and wild card spots can enter through the qualifying tournament held just before the main event. This is a series of matches where the winners earn a spot in the main draw.
- Wild Cards: A select number of wild card entries are granted by the tournament organizers to players who might not meet the ranking requirements but have notable potential or local appeal.
- Protected Ranking: Players returning from injury may enter with a protected ranking, which allows them to bypass the normal qualification process.
Did you know that the USTA (United States Tennis Association) and FTA (French Tennis Federation) have an agreement where one wildcard from the French Open goes to an American player and one wildcard from the US Open goes to a French player?
Tournament Format
Grand Slam tournaments, like the US Open, consist of two main stages: the Main Draw and the Qualification Tournament.
Main Draw
The main draw is the tournament’s final stage where players compete for the title. If a player has a high enough ranking, they automatically qualify for the tournament’s main draw.
In Grand Slam tournaments, the main draw consists of 128 players, meaning a player must win 7 consecutive matches to win the title. The main draw follows a knockout format, meaning that if a player loses a match, they are eliminated from the tournament.
Qualification Tournament
Before the main draw, a qualification tournament takes place. In this tournament, players who don’t have a high enough ranking to qualify directly for the main draw compete in the qualification rounds for a chance to earn a spot in the main draw.
The qualification tournament is played in the same way as the main draws but shortened. For example, a 128-player draw includes three rounds and 16 players receive a spot in the main draw.
Court Type
The US Open is played on hard courts. Specifically, the tournament uses a surface called Laykold, which is a brand of acrylic-based material. This type of surface is known for consistency, energy restitution, and ability to balance fast play with player safety.
Prize Money and Points
The prize money for the 2025 US Open has not been disclosed yet, but here’s the breakdown of the prize money from the previous year:
Men’s and Women’s Singles
| Men’s and Women’s Singles | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Winner | $3,600,000 (€3,317,760) |
| Runner-Up | $1,800,000 (€1,658,880) |
| Semifinalists | $1,000,000 (€921,600) |
| Quarterfinalists | $530,000 (€504,980) |
| R4 – Round of 16 (players) | $325,000 (299,520 €) |
| R3 – Round of 32 (players) | $215,000 (€198,080) |
| R2 – Round of 64 (players) | $140,000 (€129,440) |
| R1 – Round of 128 (players) | $100,000 (€92,800) |
Men’s and Women’s Doubles (per pair)
| Pair | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Winner | $806,000 (€742,560) |
| Runner-Up | $409,200 (€376,464) |
| Semifinalists | $207,000 (€190,440) |
| Quarterfinalists | $104,160 (€95,827) |
| Third Round | $52,080 (€47,922) |
| Second Round | $31,000 (€28,520) |
| First Round | $19,500 (€17,940) |
Mixed Doubles
| Pair | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Winner | $200,000 (€190,400) |
| Runner-Up | $100,000 (€95,200) |
| Semifinalists | $50,000 (€47,600) |
| Quarterfinalists | $27,500 (€26,180) |
| Second Round | $16,500 (€15,708) |
| First Round | $10,000 (€9,520) |
Points
Winning the US Open awards male players 2,000 ATP points and female players 2,000 WTA points.
History of the US Open
The US Open, first held in 1881, is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments and has a long history. Originally called the U.S. National Championships, it began as a men’s singles and doubles event, later expanding to include women’s singles in 1887, women’s doubles in 1889, and mixed doubles in 1892.
The tournament has been held at various venues, with its current home at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, since 1978. Over the years, the US Open has become known for its exciting matches, innovations like night sessions (introduced in 1975), and large prize money, making it a major highlight in the tennis calendar
