With the U.S. Open underway, tennis’ biggest stars face off in New York City to hoist the silver trophy and vie to take home a multimillion-dollar payout. Among them was longtime legend Novak Djokovic, who played the first round of the tournament this past Sunday night but lost in a crushing upset to Argentine player Mariano Navone after nearly five hours of exhausting gameplay. Though he lost out on a shot at breaking the record for most Grand Slam titles ever (of which he owns), the tennis icon is still walking away with plenty of prize money on and off the court.
The Serbian star—who currently holds the men’s all-time record with 24 Grand Slam singles titles, and remains tied with Margaret Court for most titles in tennis history—lost his streak of 78 first-round wins at Grand Slam tournaments. After he lost in five grueling sets against Navone that went on until nearly midnight, Djokovic was seen limping and cramping on the court, throwing up at least once as he continues grappling with various years-long physical ailments. That night, the 39-year-old said that his body started to “collapse” from the severity of health issues, with his back and shoulder giving out towards the end of the match. Meanwhile, young-and-scrappy Navone—a 25-year-old unseeded underdog—was able to clinch the win after an intense battle against one of the sport’s most decorated champions.
This was the first time Djokovic lost a first-round match in two decades since the 2006 Australian Open. And with 101 ATP titles and 24 Grand Slams singles titles under his belt, Djokovic’s defeat came as a shock to many—even if he’s at an age when many tennis stars have already retired. And even though he didn’t make it past the first round, Djokovic won’t be walking out of Arthur Ashe Stadium empty-handed.
Every U.S. Open singles player receives at least $140,000 for getting to the first round of the main-draw—win or lose. That means Djokovic will be walking out with a six-figure pay day, on top of his off-the-court earnings. He’s currently the sixth highest-paid star in tennis, according to Forbes, earning $5.2 million on-court and $25 million on the side last year for his various business ventures. Djokovic currently oversees a diverse sponsor portfolio—from Lacoste and Qatar Airways, to Hublot and General Atlantic.
The U.S. Open is shelling out $108 million in player compensation
While the U.S. Open is about winning a coveted Grand Slam title, it also comes with plenty of money. Some of the world’s most iconic players, including Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, and Aryna Sabalenka, will be taking to the courts over the next two weeks to compete for glory and millions of dollars in prize money. And on top of multi-million-dollar brand partnerships and endorsements, the final players stand to win eye-watering checks from the tournament.
During the qualifying rounds, players have the potential to earn between $32,000 to $66,000—but the real money comes during main-draw matches.
The winners of the U.S. Open women’s and men’s singles can earn up to $5,500,000 if they win the entire tournament, while doubles and mixed doubles champions split prize money as high as $1,000,000. The pay shoots up by hundreds of thousands of dollars in later rounds, starting from Djokovic’s $140,000 and up, per the U.S. Open. The association is also shelling out $37,840,000 in total for those who place in the singles rounds, and $13,000,000 for all the athletes across the doubles games. And zooming out on the honeypot in its entirety, total player compensation at this year’s competition hit a whopping $108,000,000—a 20% increase from last year’s $90 million—and what the U.S. Open characterizes as the largest in tennis history.
Here are the 2026 U.S. Open prizes for women’s and men’s singles:
- Winner: $5,500,000
- Runner-up: $2,800,000
- Semifinalists: $1,450,000
- Quarterfinalists: $780,000
- Round of 16: $480,000
- Round of 32: $290,000
- Round of 64: $190,000
- Round of 128: $140,000
While a multimillion-dollar payout would be life-changing for most, the prize money pales in comparison to most athletes’ off-the-court earnings. Italian player Jannik Sinner is the highest paid tennis star according to Forbes, earning about $58 million annually, with $35 million of that made outside of the arena. The 25-year-old, five-time Grand Slam champ has a partnership with insurance giant Allianz, and sponsors brands including Gucci and Lavazza. Similarly, 2025 U.S. Open men’s singles winner Carlos Alcaraz earns $38 million of his $53.7 million off-the-court, while icon Serena Williams makes the vast majority of her $40 million annual earnings through investments and brand partnerships.
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