This week marks the start of the 125th edition of the US Open. The American tennis tournament is one of the four Grand Slams, the most important annual competitions, and will see the best players in the world battle for the title over the course of two weeks. Read all about it in this article.
US Open
This tournament is traditionally the last Grand Slam of the tennis season. The first edition of the US Open was only for men and was held as early as 1881 at the Newport Casino in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Six years later, a women’s tournament was also held, at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Pennsylvania. In 1924, the singles events of both tournaments were moved to the West Side Tennis Club in New York, but it wasn’t until 1968 that both competitions were officially merged into the US Open.
At the West Side Tennis Club, matches were initially played on grass, but in 1975 the grass courts were replaced by clay. A few years later, the US Open moved again, this time to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where matches have since been played on hard courts. Only one player has ever won the title on all three surfaces: Jimmy Connors. The tournament’s most important matches are played in the Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Tennis Center.
Record Prize Money
The US Open is known for its generous prize pool, and this year it’s even more lavish than before. A record €77 million will be distributed among the participants. This makes the 2025 US Open the most lucrative tennis tournament ever. The winners of the singles titles—both men’s and women’s—will each receive an impressive sum of over €4 million. There is also a significant increase in prize money for the qualifying rounds and the tournament’s first week.
New Mixed Doubles Format
This year, the US Open is introducing a notable change to the mixed doubles competition. The tournament has decided to separate the mixed doubles from the Grand Slam event and organize it as a stand-alone tournament on August 19 and 20. This makes it more appealing to top players who usually skip doubles. However, there has also been criticism: doubles specialists feel this change devalues their discipline. They’ve voiced concerns about the careers of certain players and the lack of respect for tradition.
Still, the reform has met its main goal: almost all top players have signed up for the event. Names like Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic will be there. The matches themselves will also look different: sets will be won with only four games, there will be no “advantage” after deuce, and a tiebreak to ten points will replace the third set—except in the final.
Men’s Singles
The US Open traditionally attracts the biggest names in the sport. The current defending champion in the men’s singles is Jannik Sinner, who won his first New York title by defeating Taylor Fritz. A highlight of the year has been his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz: the two met in the finals of both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, each winning once. Alcaraz is having a strong season and could make waves in the U.S. as well.
Novak Djokovic will also compete at the US Open. The Serbian won Olympic gold last year, but recently has had to withdraw from more and more tournaments. He still appeared on the biggest stages—like Roland Garros and Wimbledon—but played no matches in between. He also had to skip a tournament between Wimbledon and the US Open. His form is far from at its peak.
Women’s Singles
Aryna Sabalenka will enter this year’s US Open as the defending champion. Last year, she won her first major in New York by defeating Jessica Pegula in the final. Sabalenka has had a fairly strong season, with a runner-up finish at Roland Garros and a semifinal at Wimbledon, but she is determined to claim that final major of the year. The competition, however, is fierce.
Coco Gauff is also in the mix. The young American won the US Open once before, in 2023, but lost in the round of 16 last year. Her Wimbledon campaign this year was disappointing, but she did win Roland Garros. A mixed season, but she remains a serious contender.
A particularly noteworthy participant is Venus Williams, who at 45 has received a wildcard, making her the oldest player at Flushing Meadows since 1981. This will be her 25th appearance at the US Open, a tournament she has won twice. Other contenders include Iga Świątek and Emma Raducanu.
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