Winners of the men's and women's singles championships at the US Open next month will receive a record $5 million in prize money, tennis chiefs in the United States confirmed on Thursday.
Last year's champions – Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka – were each handed a cheque for $3.6 million for coming through seven matches on the hard courts at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre at Flushing Meadows in New York.
The increase comes as part of a total purse of $85 million to the world's top players in singles, doubles and wheelchair events and pushes the US Open well ahead of the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon which host the three other Grand Slam tournaments.
Last month on the grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon, Sinner and Iga Swiatek respectively lifted the gentlemen's and ladies' singles trophies for the first time. They also pocketed a cheque for £3 million.
At the French Open in Paris in June, Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff collected €2.55 million for their endeavours on the clay courts at the Roland Garros Stadium.
In January at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Sinner took away $AUS3.5 million after sweeping past Alexander Zverev in straight sets. Madison Keys won the same amount for beating Sabalenka to claim her first trophy at a Grand Slam event.
The US Open singles competitions start on 24 August and culminate on 6 September with the women's final and the men's showdown on 7 September.
The championships will begin with a new format mixed doubles event on 19 and 20 August.
