Singles vs Doubles: How Big Is the US Open Prize Money Gap?
Like every time, this year’s US Open is proving to be quite the thriller. From the very first rounds of all five events (men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles), the last Grand Slam of the year has been nothing short of a nail-biter - and fans can’t wait to see who will go on to lift the winner’s trophies at Flushing Meadows. And even amidst all the drama, one lingering debate kept coming back.
For years, the sharp disparity between the doubles and singles prize money has been a major point of contention among US Open fans. However, while the purses for this year’s Flushing Meadows have increased significantly, the pay gap in the events is still considerably large. So, just how bad is it?
How much will the winners receive at the 2025 US Open?
“The US Open is set to rewrite history by writing its biggest-ever checks to players competing in the 2025 tournament,” read the opening statement of an article posted on the official US Open website on August 6. As per the report, the 2025 edition of the year’s last Grand Slam will see a 20% increase in the total purse from 2024, $90 million this year compared to last year’s $75 million.
The winners of the men’s and women’s singles events will each take home $5 million(a 39% increase from last year). On the other hand, the winning teams of the men’s and women’s doubles will receive $1 million. That means each member of the winning team will get $500,000 richer. That’s ten times less than the amount the singles winners are set to earn.
Furthermore, the doubles quarterfinalist teams will get $125,000, which is $15,000 more than the singles competitors who crash out of the tournament in the first round ($110,000). To put things into perspective, singles quarterfinalists will take home $660,000. Goes without saying that, despite the massive double-digit increase in all the prize money, the doubles competition paychecks are still significantly less than they are for single events.
So, what gives?
While fans would undoubtedly want to see their favorite stars earn similar amounts irrespective of which event they participate in, there is a justification for the pay gap at the US Open. Traditionally, singles events have been the biggest pull to Flushing Meadows. From Serena Williams to Coco Gauff, the women's stars have been emphatic at the US Open over the years, prompting home fans to flock to the Arthur Ashe Stadium and the Louis Armstrong Stadium every time.
On the other hand, with Andy Roddick being the last American men’s US Open winner back in 2003, US tennis connoisseurs have made it to the New York tournament every year with high hopes of finally witnessing the long drought coming to an end. Moreover, singles events often bring in bigger international sponsorships for the Open in comparison to doubles events, further generating more revenues for the organizers.
The doubles events, in contrast, have fewer marquee stars competing, which in turn means lesser broadcast visibility. While it is true that this year, Venus Williams’ return to the Big Apple caused a lot of stir among the fans. Her mixed doubles stint with Reilly Opelka was still less discussed by the fans, as compared to the veteran’s singles possibilities.
Slams have always been singles-focused. There’s no going around the fact.
What do the stars have to say about the pay gap?
Even now, players often pull out of the doubles if their singles draw gets deep in a tournament, especially in Grand Slams. With the disparity in the prize money for singles and doubles events being drastically different, players have also weighed in on the matter on several occasions. Former stars like Jamie Murray and the Bryan Brothers have often posited that the pay gap should be minimized to encourage more players to pursue doubles as a viable alternative to singles.
“How many people buy tickets to see the top doubles players? Who moves the ratings? Who do people go to their television to watch? Well, it's Federer, Nadal, Serena and Venus,” said Pam Shriver on how doubles still pales in comparison to singles events. And yet, the former doubles partner of Martina Navratilova mentioned that the top doubles players make a fair amount of money.
Toby Smith, performance coach at Tennis Scotland, said in 2017, “In terms of prize money and funding, I think it should be representative of the number of people watching and the TV numbers,” noting that the players should receive money in proportion to the crowd they pull. However, 17-time Grand Slam winner Gigi Fernandez flatly stated that the compensation gap needs to be closed down ASAP.
“Winning a Grand Slam is very prestigious and I think people who win Grand Slams should be compensated fairly,” said the former Puerto Rican doubles sensation. “It's not just the singles players who provide the entertainment,” she elaborated.
John McEnroe, one of the most prominent singles and doubles players in modern tennis, also vented his frustration over the pay gap in an interview in 2013. “Doubles - why are we even playing it?” he grunted. “When you put it all together, doubles comes way distant second to singles,” McEnroe added.
However, the Bryan brothers, who were the lead plaintiffs in the 2005 lawsuit against ATP claiming foul play on the pay gap in the singles and doubles events, have learned that reality is much different from how they used to perceive it during their playing days. “Now that we’re retired, we see it from a greater perspective of the US Open is a business,” Mike Bryan admitted.
Strong arguments from both sides of the spectrum. So, is this phenomenon apparent everywhere?
How does the US Open fare against its peers?
Singles winners at the 2025 Australian Open received $3.5 million, while doubles winners took home $810,000. First-round stars who exited the singles events made $132,000, while doubles quarterfinalists made $142,000.
Men’s and women’s doubles winners at the Roland Garros pocketed €590,000, while singles winners claimed €2.5 million. Wimbledon winners made GBP 3 million, whereas doubles winners at the SW90 were handed a GBP 680,000 paycheck. Suffices to say that the pay gap at every Grand Slam event is steep, with the US Open not being the anomaly by any means.
But while the debate rages on, it’s not difficult to comprehend why the double stars feel like they can use a bump up.
More factors contribute to the headache
After splitting the check and paying taxes, doubles champions at Grand Slam tournaments take home approximately 60% of their earnings. Withholding taxes, taxes paid as per the home country’s laws and regulations, and home country income taxes are only some of the reasons that winners have to hustle up a significant chunk of their prize money. With the doubles purse already much slimmer than that in singles events, the take-home amount can be astonishingly smaller for doubles players, even if they win at Grand Slams.
The Bryan brothers have won over 100 doubles titles together, including 5 US Open Doubles trophies. And yet, their total earnings have been nothing compared to singles players who have regularly made it to the Round of 16 or higher at Flushing Meadows.
With the current trend, it isn’t likely that singles and doubles prize money will be the same anytime soon. But with the right people rallying behind the cause, we can hope!
