US Open (tennis)
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
The US Open Tennis Championships, commonly called the US Open, is a big tennis event held every year in Queens, New York City. It is organized by the United States Tennis Association and is the last of the four big Grand Slam tennis events. The others are the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. The US Open starts in late August and lasts for two weeks, ending after the Labor Day holiday in the United States.
All players must be at least fourteen years old to join. Since 1968, both amateur and professional players can compete. The US Open is one of the oldest tennis events in the world, first held in Newport, Rhode Island in 1881. It moved to its current location in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in 1978, where it is played on special hardcourt surfaces.
The tournament includes many different matches, such as men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. There are also events for older players, younger players, and wheelchair tennis. Money from tickets, sponsors, and TV deals helps support tennis programs across the United States. The US Open was not stopped during World War I, World War II, or the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, making it a strong and steady event in the tennis world.
History
1881–1914: Newport Casino
The US Open tennis tournament began in August 1881, played on grass courts at the Newport Casino in Newport, Rhode Island. Only clubs that were members of the United States National Lawn Tennis Association could enter. Richard Sears won the first men's singles title, starting a streak of seven straight wins. From 1884 to 1911, the defending champion would automatically advance to the final each year.
Only men competed from 1881 to 1886, with both singles and doubles events. The first U.S. Women's National Singles Championship took place in 1887 at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, won by 17-year-old Ellen Hansell. That same year, men's doubles were held at the Orange Lawn Tennis Club in South Orange, New Jersey.
The women's tournament used a similar challenge system from 1888 to 1918. Between 1890 and 1906, tournaments in the east and west of the country decided the top two doubles teams, who then competed to face the defending champions.
1915–1977: West Side Tennis Club
In 1915, the tournament moved to the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City. Many players supported this move because most tennis activity happened in that area. The men's singles event was held there for the first time in August 1915, while women's singles stayed in Philadelphia until 1921.
From 1921 to 1923, men's singles were played at the Germantown Cricket Club in Philadelphia before returning to Forest Hills in 1924. The tournament became an official major in 1924. In 1968, the Open Era began when professional players were allowed to compete for the first time, changing the tournament from being only for amateur players.
Open Era
The Open Era started in 1968 when professional players could compete in the Grand Slam tournament at the West Side Tennis Club. Before this, only amateur players could participate. In 1970, the US Open became the first Grand Slam to use a tiebreaker when a set reached 6–6. In 1973, it was the first Grand Slam to give equal prize money to men and women. In 1975, the tournament switched from grass to clay courts, partly to make matches easier to watch on television. Floodlights were added so matches could be played at night.
Since 1978: USTA National Tennis Center
In 1978, the tournament moved to the larger USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens. The surface changed from clay to hardcourt. Jimmy Connors is the only player to have won US Open singles titles on grass, clay, and hardcourt. Chris Evert is the only woman to have won on clay and hardcourt.
The US Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that has been held every year since it began.
In 2005, the US Open added wheelchair singles and doubles events, and in 2006, it added events for quad singles and doubles. In 2006, the complex was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to honor Billie Jean King, a four-time US Open singles champion.
In 2018, the US Open became the first Grand Slam to use a shot clock to keep track of time between points, making matches move faster. In 2019, Rafael Nadal won the men's singles title.
In 2020, the tournament was held without spectators because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Western & Southern Open was moved to the same location to create a safe area for both events.
In 2023, the US Open became the first Grand Slam to allow players to challenge certain calls using a video review system.
In January 2025, it was announced that the US Open would start on a Sunday, making Wimbledon the only Major to begin on a Monday.
Grounds
The US Open takes place on a large area with many tennis courts. There are 22 outdoor courts and 12 practice courts. The biggest court is Arthur Ashe Stadium, which can hold over 23,000 people. It opened in 1997 and got a special roof in 2016. The second biggest is Louis Armstrong Stadium, which opened in 2018 and can hold nearly 14,000 people. There are also smaller courts like the Grandstand and Court 17, known as “The Pit” because it’s lower than the ground around it.
All the courts have lights so matches can continue into the evening. For many years, the courts were covered with a special blue paint inside the lines to help everyone see the ball better. The area outside the lines stays green. Players used to be able to ask for a review if they thought a call was wrong, but now the computer makes all the calls automatically.
Point and prize money distribution
Ranking points for the men's and women's competitions at the US Open have changed over the years. Below are tables showing the ranking points available for each event.
Seniors
Prize money
The total prize money for the 2025 US Open is $90 million, the largest amount ever for any Grand Slam tournament. This money is shared among all the players.
The prize money for singles players makes up most of the total amount, with smaller amounts for doubles teams and wheelchair competitors. Over the years, the prize money has grown a lot. In 2013, it was $33.6 million, and by 2023, it reached $65 million. The tournament also offers extra help for players with travel and hotel costs.
| Event | W | F | SF | QF | R4 | R3 | R2 | R1 | Q | Q3 | Q2 | Q1 |
| Men's singles | 2000 | 1300 | 800 | 400 | 200 | 100 | 50 | 10 | 30 | 16 | 8 | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's doubles | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| Women's singles | 1300 | 780 | 430 | 240 | 130 | 70 | 10 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 2 | |
| Women's doubles | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Event | W | F | SF | QF | Round of 16 | Round of 32 | Round of 64 | Round of 128 | Q3 | Q2 | Q1 |
| Singles | $5,000,000 | $2,500,000 | $1,260,000 | $660,000 | $400,000 | $237,000 | $154,000 | $110,000 | $57,200 | $41,800 | $27,500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doubles | $1,000,000 | $500,000 | $250,000 | $125,000 | $75,000 | $45,000 | $30,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Mixed doubles | $1,000,000 | $400,000 | $200,000 | $100,000 | $20,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Champions
The US Open has champions in several categories, including men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. You can find lists of all the champions and the most recent finals results.
Former champions
Current champions
Most recent finals
Carlos Alcaraz, 2025 men's singles champion. Aryna Sabalenka, 2025 women's singles champion. Marcel Granollers was part of the 2025 winning men's doubles team. Horacio Zeballos was part of the 2025 winning men's doubles team. Gabriela Dabrowski was part of the 2025 winning women's doubles team. Erin Routliffe was part of the 2025 winning women's doubles team. Sara Errani was part of the 2025 winning mixed doubles team. Andrea Vavassori was part of the 2025 winning mixed doubles team. |
| 2025 Event | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's singles | 6–2, 3–6, 6–1, 6–4 | ||
| Women's singles | 6–3, 7–6(7–3) | ||
| Men's doubles | 3–6, 7–6(7–4), 7–5 | ||
| Women's doubles | 6–4, 6–4 | ||
| Mixed doubles | 6–3, 5–7, [10–6] | ||
Records
| Record | Era | Player(s) | Count | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men since 1881 | ||||
| Most singles titles | Amateur Era | 7 | 1881–87 | |
| 1901–02, 1907–11 | ||||
| 1920–25, 1929 | ||||
| Open Era | 5 | 1974, 1976, 1978, 1982–83 | ||
| 1990, 1993, 1995–96, 2002 | ||||
| 2004–08 | ||||
| Most consecutive singles titles | Amateur Era | 7 | 1881–87 | |
| Open Era | 5 | 2004–08 | ||
| Most doubles titles | Amateur Era | 6 | 1882–84, 1886–87 with James Dwight 1885 with Joseph Clark | |
| 1899–1901 with Dwight F. Davis 1904–06 with Beals Wright | ||||
| Open Era | 6 | 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 with Bob Bryan 2018 with Jack Sock | ||
| Most consecutive doubles titles | Amateur Era | 7 | 1881–87 | |
| Open Era | 3 | 2021–23 | ||
| 2021–23 | ||||
| Most mixed doubles titles | Amateur Era | 4 | 1894–96 with Juliette Atkinson 1898 with Carrie Neely | |
| 1907 with May Sayers 1909, 1911, 1915 with Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman | ||||
| 1913–14 with Mary Browne 1922–23 with Molla Mallory | ||||
| 1943–46 with Margaret Osborne duPont | ||||
| Open Era | 1966 with Donna Floyd 1967, 1971, 1973 with Billie Jean King | |||
| 1969–70, 1972 with Margaret Court 1980 with Wendy Turnbull | ||||
| 2003 with Katarina Srebotnik 2004 with Vera Zvonareva 2006 with Martina Navratilova 2010 with Liezel Huber | ||||
| Most Championships (singles, doubles & mixed doubles) | Amateur Era | 16 | 1913–29 (7 singles, 5 doubles, 4 mixed doubles) | |
| Open Era | 9 | 2003–14 (5 doubles, 4 mixed doubles) | ||
| Women since 1887 | ||||
| Most singles titles | Amateur Era | 8 | 1915–18, 1920–22, 1926 | |
| Open Era | 6 | 1975–78, 1980, 1982 | ||
| 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012–14 | ||||
| Most consecutive singles titles | Amateur Era | 4 | 1915–18 | |
| 1932–35 | ||||
| Open Era | 4 | 1975–78 | ||
| Most doubles titles | Amateur Era | 13 | 1941 with Sarah Palfrey Cooke 1942–50, 1955–57 with Louise Brough | |
| Open Era | 9 | 1977 with Betty Stöve 1978, 1980 with Billie Jean King 1983–84, 1986–87 with Pam Shriver 1989 with Hana Mandlíková 1990 with Gigi Fernández | ||
| Most consecutive doubles titles | Amateur Era | 10 | 1941 with Sarah Palfrey Cooke 1942–50 with Louise Brough | |
| Open Era | 3 | 2002–04 | ||
| 2002–04 | ||||
| Most mixed doubles titles | Amateur Era | 9 | 1943–46 with Bill Talbert 1950 with Ken McGregor 1956 with Ken Rosewall 1958–60 with Neale Fraser | |
| Open Era | 3 | 1969–70, 1972 with Marty Riessen | ||
| 1971, 1973 with Owen Davidson 1976 with Phil Dent | ||||
| 1985 with Heinz Günthardt 1987 with Emilio Sánchez 2006 with Bob Bryan | ||||
| Most Championships (singles, doubles & mixed doubles) | Amateur Era | 25 | 1941–60 (3 singles, 13 doubles, 9 mixed doubles) | |
| Open Era | 16 | 1977–2006 (4 singles, 9 doubles, 3 mixed doubles) | ||
| Miscellaneous | ||||
| Unseeded champions | Men | 1994 | ||
| Women | 2009 2017 (the only Protected ranking to win a major title) 2021 (the only qualifier to win a major title) | |||
| Youngest singles champion | Men | 19 years and 1 month (1990) | ||
| Women | 16 years and 8 months (1979) | |||
| Oldest singles champion | Men | 38 years and 8 months (1911) | ||
| Women | 42 years and 5 months (1926) | |||
Media and attendance
Media coverage
Main article: List of US Open (tennis) broadcasters
The US Open Tennis Championships has a website where you can watch live video, but you cannot watch videos on demand. The website also offers live radio coverage.
In the United States, ESPN has been the only channel showing the US Open since 2015. Before that, CBS showed the matches for 47 years. ESPN uses ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC for the main matches, with other matches shown on ESPN+.
Different parts of the world have different channels showing the US Open:
- Continental Europe – Eurosport
- Latin America & Caribbean – ESPN International
- Middle East & North Africa – beIN Sports
- Southern Africa – SuperSport
- Indian Subcontinent – Star Sports
- Southeast Asia – SPOTV
- Oceania – ESPN International
Some places have special channels:
- UK and Ireland – Prime Video (2022), Sky Sports (from 2023)
- Australia – Nine Network and Stan Sport
- Canada – TSN and RDS (ABC is available in some areas near the border)
- China – CCTV and iQIYI
- Japan – Wowow
- Pakistan – PTV Sports
- South Korea – JTBC
Recent attendance
Sources: US Open, City University of New York (CUNY)
Images
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