US Open 2025’s History-Making Prize Amount Revealed

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It pays to be an ace on the tennis court.

Indeed, it’s worth noting that the U.S. Open Tennis Championships have revealed an upgrade in prize money for the 2025 event, marking a record-breaking high of $90 million in tennis history.

The 2024 US Open purse had a $75 million payout, marking a 20% increase. As per the United States Tennis Association (USTA), all rounds of all events will witness significant percentage hikes from 2024, with double-digit percentages being the norm. This year’s championship, starting from the men’s and women’s singles games, is offering $5 million to winners – a 39% rise compared to last year’s $3.6 million prize won by champions such as Aryna Sabalenka.

The triumphant squads from the men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles tournaments stand to receive a total of $1 million in prize funds.

With a recent $90-million fundraising, the 2025 US Open tournament, scheduled to begin on August 24 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, boasts higher prize money than any other Grand Slam event this year. Compared to Wimbledon’s total winnings of $71 million, the French Open’s distribution of $65.5 million, and the Australian Open’s approximate prize money of around $63 million, the US Open now leads in monetary offerings for the 2021 season.

This statement follows numerous athletes expressing concerns about the unequal distribution of prize money in sports over time. Specifically, tennis star Novak Djokovic recently disclosed that tennis has a significantly smaller share compared to other prominent leagues such as football and basketball. At a press conference following his Australian Open competition this year, he clarified that in major sports like the NFL, NBA, baseball, and NHL, the governing bodies split the prize money equally, with roughly 50%. In contrast, he noted that tennis’s share is significantly lower than this average. (Source: The Athletic)

As a devoted fan, I recognize that tennis governing bodies have unique “rules and guidelines” for determining player compensation. Nevertheless, I firmly believe it’s crucial for the athletes’ voices to echo loudly within these discussions.

He stated, “We’re hoping for a larger budget, but it seems they might not be willing to provide as much funds when discussing award money. The intricacies of the reward money are complex and require careful examination.

Keep reading to see more athletes discussing their salaries…

Following numerous complaints from athletes about the unequal distribution of prize money across different sports, it has been brought to light that tennis pays out a relatively smaller portion compared to popular leagues such as football and basketball. As Novak Djokovic put it at a recent press conference following his Australian Open match, “The share distributed among the governing bodies in major American sports like NFL, NBA, baseball, NHL is approximately 50%. Ours (tennis) falls significantly short of that.” (This information was reported by The Athletic.)

Furthermore, although Novak acknowledges that tennis payouts are subject to specific “rules and guidelines,” he remains committed to ensuring the opinions of players are taken into account.

He mentioned, “We’d like to receive a larger amount of funds, yet it seems there might be some reluctance from their side when discussing award money. The prize money is quite intricate, with numerous aspects that need careful examination.

Keep reading to see more athletes discussing their salaries…

For numerous athletic celebrities, Cristiano Ronaldo’s earnings can be compared to scoring goals consistently. This is because he frequently tops lists of highest-earning athletes.

In June 2025, Ronaldo agreed to a two-year contract extension with Al-Nassr FC in Saudi Arabia. Although the specific details of the agreement were not disclosed, various media outlets claimed that when he initially joined the team in 2022 after departing Manchester United in England, his annual salary was approximately $200 million.

Lionel Messi began his tenure at Inter Miami CF with a substantial signing bonus. According to the MLS Players Association’s 2025 salary guide, the Argentine footballer, who joined David Beckham’s team in 2023 after playing for Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, earns an annualized average guaranteed compensation exceeding $20.4 million. His current annual base salary stands at $12 million.

Despite progress, significant differences in salaries between male and female athletes persist. For instance, no women appeared on Forbes‘ 2025 list of the top 50 highest-paid athletes.

Alex Morgan, who retired from soccer in 2024 following her final game with San Diego Wave, managed to secure a ranking of 16th on the outlet’s list of highest-paid female athletes last year. In 2024, Forbes estimated that the World Cup champion earned $600,000 from playing and an additional $7 million off the field through lucrative endorsement deals.

Although initiatives like U.S. Soccer’s equalization of FIFA World Cup prize money for both the women’s and men’s national teams have been taken to narrow the pay gap, there is still a considerable distance to travel before achieving a more balanced playing field.

Following her selection as the first pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark agreed to a four-year deal with the Indiana Fever, valued at approximately $338,056 and guaranteeing her an initial salary of $76,535 during her rookie season. This amount was surprising to many, given that the base pay for NBA players typically exceeds this figure. Additionally, Caitlin boasts endorsement deals, one of which is a partnership with Nike, reportedly worth $28 million by The Athletic.

For the 2025-2026 NBA season, Stephen Curry leads ESPN’s salary list with an earnings of $59.6 million. Yet, the Golden State Warriors weren’t ready to let their star guard slip away. In August 2024, Curry inked a $62.6 million contract extension, keeping him with the team until 2027, as confirmed by his agent to CNBC.

Speaking of stashing away some serious dough, it’s LeBron James we’re talking about here. As reported by ESPN, the Lakers’ forward raked in an impressive $52.6 million during the 2025-2026 season.

Coco Gauff continues to make significant strides in her career, as she was ranked number one among the highest-earning female athletes by Forbes in 2024 with a reported income of approximately $34.4 million that year, including $9.4 million from on-court earnings and $25 million from endorsements off the court.

It seems that Naomi Osaka, the tennis champion from Japan, is excelling in her endorsement deals, as Forbes reported she made approximately $12.9 million in 2024, with $12 million of that being earned outside of prize money from tournaments.

Simone Biles not only won gold at the Olympics but also amassed a significant fortune, with Forbes estimating her 2024 earnings to be around $11.2 million, $11 million of which was earned outside of her competition winnings.

If you’re curious about how much money Travis Kelce earns while playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, here’s an update: In 2024, the tight end sealed a two-year contract worth approximately $34.25 million, as reported by NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

Speaking of Patrick Mahomes, the team’s quarterback, he pocketed quite a fortune when he sealed a 10-year deal with the Chiefs back in 2020, valued at an astonishing $450 million, as reported by his representation firm Equity Sports.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d put it this way: In the spring of 2025, I made sure to secure Josh Allen’s services for my beloved Buffalo Bills with a lucrative six-year contract. According to reports by Rapoport, this deal is worth an impressive $330 million, with a guaranteed $250 million.

In March 2025, after a stint with the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, and Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL quarterback Russell Wilson joined the New York Giants on a one-year contract worth $10.5 million, according to NFL Network Insiders Rapoport, Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo. The deal could potentially earn him up to $21 million in incentives. In simpler terms, Russell Wilson signed with the New York Giants for $10.5 million in base salary, but he has a chance to make an additional $21 million based on performance-related bonuses.

Taking over as the quarterback for the Steelers is Aaron Rodgers, who has previously played for teams like the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers. While he’ll be donning jersey number 8, his salary tells a different story – a significantly larger figure. The one-year contract he signed in June 2025 amounts to $13.65 million, with an impressive $10 million of that guaranteed, according to NFL Network Insiders Rapoport and Pelissero. However, they pointed out that Aaron has the potential to earn as much as $19.5 million if he meets certain incentives.

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2025-08-07 00:18