Pressure is a privilege, and champions adjust.
Billie Jean King
The 2026 US Open Tennis tournament will bring the sport back to New York from August 23 to September 13, with Fan Week leading into the main draw at Flushing Meadows.² This year, fans will be watching whether recent champions, rising American stars, and established Grand Slam contenders can turn late-summer form into a title run in New York.
At the same time, the 2026 tournament still sits in the long shadow of legends such as Serena Williams, whose 2022 retirement marked the end of a legendary career. As tennis moves into this exciting new chapter, the US Open continues to stand as a symbol of excellence, growth, and inspiration for generations to come. As the 2026 US Open approaches, let’s look at the tournament's history and how it evolved from a national championship into one of tennis’s biggest global events.
Key Takeaways
- The US Open started in 1881 as the U.S. National Championship, first held at Newport Casino in Rhode Island.¹
- It is called the US Open because the tournament entered the Open Era in 1968, allowing professional and amateur players to compete together.
- The 2026 US Open takes place from August 23 to September 13, with Fan Week opening the tournament before the main draw begins in New York.²
- US Open prize money history reached a new milestone in 2025, when total player compensation hit a record $90 million and the singles champions each received $5 million.³
- The US Open became the first Grand Slam to offer equal prize money to men and women in 1973.⁵
The 2026 US Open takes place from August 23 to September 13, with Fan Week, Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, qualifying, mixed doubles, and main-draw action all building toward the final weekend. The official player field will be clearer as the tournament approaches, but the early watch list should include recent Grand Slam champions, top-ranked players, and American contenders hoping to make a deep run in New York.
What matters isn’t how well you play when you’re playing well. What matters is how well you play when you’re playing badly.
Martina Navratilova, Former Czech-American tennis player
How the US Open Tennis Tournaments Started?
Are you wondering when the US Open started? This thrilling championship started back in 1881. However, back then, it was known as the US National Championship, and matches were held only for men’s singles and doubles. Women’s singles followed in 1887, with women’s doubles added in 1889 and mixed doubles added in 1892.¹ For over 75 years, US National Championship matches have been held at many resorts, stadiums, and other venues across the US.
The first tournament was held at the Newport Casino in Rhode Island, beginning the long history of the US Open before the championship grew into a global Grand Slam event.⁹ That same year, the competition was renamed US Open Tennis Championship, opening the door for all sorts of tennis players to play against one another. Suffice it to say, it was a revolutionary year for the tennis field. In 1978, the US Open settled in Flushing Meadows.
US Open History
If you've ever sat on the edge of your seat during a US Open final, shouting at the TV or just holding your breath during a match point, you know this tournament isn’t just about tennis. It’s about moments, history, change, and a long road from where it all began! Let’s rewind to 1881. Tennis was a much quieter affair then! The first version of what we now call the US Open took place in Newport, Rhode Island, on grassy courts, with only men allowed to play.
It was called the US National Championship. Players had to be members of exclusive clubs to enter, and matches were more of a social event than a global sports showdown. Richard Sears was the first name to make a mark, winning seven years in a row! Women weren’t even part of the event until six years later, in 1887, but even then, the spotlight wasn’t exactly on them. Ellen Hansell won the first women’s singles title, but it would take many more decades for women to achieve equal footing in pay and recognition.
As the years passed, the official year-by-year history of the US Open shows how the tournament grew through famous champions, venue changes, equal-prize-money milestones, and the Open Era.¹⁰ By the 1920s, a player named Bill Tilden helped bring tennis to the public eye.
He wasn’t just winning, he was making headlines and drawing big crowds. Back then, tennis still had this country-club vibe, but it was starting to break out into something bigger. In 1924, the US tournament officially became one of the four Grand Slam events, joining Wimbledon, the French Open, and the Australian Open. Even then, professionals weren’t allowed. Only amateurs could compete! That meant some of the best players in the world were left watching from the sidelines.
Evolution of the Tennis Tournament
The US Open didn't become a global tournament overnight, though. There were several major changes, including the introduction of the Open Era and equal prize money. There were new venues, new surfaces, and larger stadiums. From its early national roots, it became the fast-paced Grand Slam that fans follow today.
1881
First Championship
Men's singles and doubles debut at the Newport Casino in Rhode Island.
1887
Women Compete
Ellen Hansell wins the first women's singles title.
1915
Move Toward New York
The championship relocates to the West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills, Queens.
1924
Grand Slam Status
The tournament joins Wimbledon, Roland Garros, and the Australian Open as a major.
1968
The Open Era
Professional and amateurs compete together and the event is renamed the US Open.
1973
Equal Prize Money
The US Open becomes the first Grand Slam to pay men and women equally.
1978
Flushing Meadows
The tournament moves to the USTA National Tennis Center and switches to hard courts.
2025
Record Prize Money
Total player compensation reaches a tennis record of $90 million
Transition to the Open Era (1968)
Fast forward to 1968: a huge turning point in the history of the US Open tennis. That year, the tournament opened up to everyone: amateurs, pros, and anyone good enough to make the cut.
They also gave it a new name: the US Open! That first year of the "open era", Arthur Ashe won the men’s title and became a symbol of change. He was the first Black man to win the US Open, and he did it as an amateur, against professional tennis players.
The US Open name comes from the Open Era, when the tournament became open to professionals as well as amateurs. That change made the championship more competitive, more international, and closer to the modern Grand Slam event fans know today.
Surface and Venue Changes
By 1978, the event had moved from Forest Hills to Flushing Meadows, giving the US Open a larger home at what is now the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.⁶ That’s where it still happens today! The courts changed from grass to clay, and finally to the hard DecoTurf surface we see now. The hard court is made for fast-paced matches, making it perfect for big hitters and long rallies. That move also made the US Open feel more accessible. Forest Hills had charm, sure, but Flushing Meadows gave the event room to grow. It wasn’t just a tournament anymore, as it was becoming a full-on New York experience. Fans packed the stands, celebrities showed up, and night matches under the lights turned into a signature part of the event!
One of the biggest moments came in 1973 when Billie Jean King pushed hard for equal prize money for men and women. She boycotted the tournament, and it worked! That year, the US Open became the first Grand Slam to pay men and women equally. It was a massive win for women’s sports!
From then on, the US Open kept pushing forward. Chris Evert won six titles, Pete Sampras dominated in the ‘90s, Roger Federer had a five-year streak in the 2000s, and Serena Williams became the face of modern tennis with six US Open titles. Her first title was in 1999 when she was just 17 years old! Her impact on the sport stretched far beyond the court. In the past decade, the US Open has become a truly global event. People tune in from every corner of the world...
Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
Arthur Ashe, 1968 US Open men's singles champion
The stadiums have gotten bigger, the prize money higher, and the technology more advanced! Players now challenge line calls with instant video replay. Rain delays? Not a problem anymore. The Arthur Ashe Stadium has a retractable roof! The 2026 tournament continues that story, bringing another year of hard-court tennis, packed stadiums, night-session drama, and new contenders to Queens. Players such as Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner, Iga Świątek, Aryna Sabalenka, and other leading contenders will be among the names fans watch closely as the 2026 US Open approaches.
Fans cheered for the future while also tipping their hats to legends like Serena Williams, who retired just a few years earlier. From a quiet lawn in Rhode Island to a global stage in Queens, the US Open has seen it all! The game has changed, but the heart of it is still the same.
US Open Prize Money History
The US Open Tennis Tournament has become one of the richest events in tennis, with the 2025 edition setting a record of $90 million in total player compensation.³ In 2020, event organisers revealed that the total US Open prize money and player compensation reached over $53 million. Despite the pandemic, the tournament winners were awarded the highest amount, up to $3 million. This purse has been growing since the start of the championship.
The US Open Tennis Tournament has become one of the richest events in tennis, with the 2025 edition setting a record for total player compensation at $90 million.
Back in 1900, a winner’s share was approximately $200. This share grew to $4,000 by 1950 and to $800,000 by 2000. This rapid increase shows how the US Open Tournament’s success has grown over the years and why it sets a foundation for tennis fans and players everywhere. As with many competitions, the further a player reaches in the tournament, the higher the prize money they play for. Serena Williams stands today as the highest-paid woman in tennis history. This level of status in a sports competition takes years of practice and dedication.
1900
$200
1950
$4,000
2000
$800,000
2025
$3.6 million
Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships
The US Open was the first-ever Grand Slam event to allow men and women to compete with equal prize money. Billie Jean King pushed the US Open toward equal prize money in 1973, helping the tournament become the first Grand Slam to pay men’s and women’s champions equally.⁵ As a result, 1973 saw the dawn of a new era for tennis players, as the winners of that year’s tournament, Margaret Court and John Newcombe, took home equal sums of USD $25,000.
The US Open became the first Grand Slam to offer equal prize money to men and women in 1973. That milestone helped make the tournament a leader in tennis history, not just for its champions, but for its role in pushing the sport toward greater equality.
Here's a YouTube video on the finals in 1973, featuring John Newcombe vs. Jan Kodes!
With the groundwork for tennis laid, the US Open tournaments expanded to new court surfaces, including grass and clay, before settling on DecoTurf. With such diversity in US Open tennis, nothing is stopping you from building your skills to a tournament standard. Tennis has become a leading example of gender pay equity in sports. In 2026, the US Open continues to build on that equal-prize-money legacy, with men’s and women’s singles champions now competing in one of the highest-paying tournaments in tennis.
US Open Tennis Tournament Champions
Perhaps one of the most iconic names in tennis history, Althea Gibson laid the foundation for champions to come.⁴ In 1950, she became the first African-American to compete in the US National Championships. In later years, she became the first black player to win a US Open singles match and won numerous other titles. Today, she holds 11 Grand Slam titles and has been honoured with a statue outside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Since she entered the US Open Tennis Tournament, many aspiring players have won singles and doubles matches.
Historic US Open Matches
Connors was 39 years old and ranked No. 174 when he produced one of the most famous late-career runs in US Open history. His five-set win over Krickstein became one of the defining moments of the 1991 tournament.
This all-American quarterfinal is remembered for its extraordinary quality and tension, with Sampras and Agassi playing four sets without a single break of serve. The US Open has treated it as one of its classic matches.
Agassi’s comeback against Blake became one of the great New York night-session matches of the 2000s. It also helped carry Agassi into another late-career US Open final.
Djokovic saved match point with a fearless forehand return before beating Federer in five sets. The US Open still highlights that shot as one of the tournament’s signature all-or-nothing moments.
Djokovic defeated defending champion Rafael Nadal to win his first US Open title. The match helped define one of the strongest seasons of Djokovic’s career.
Let’s look at the winners for men's singles⁷ and women’s singles⁸ from 2000-2025:
| Year | Men’s Singles Champion | Women’s Singles Champion |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Carlos Alcaraz | Aryna Sabalenka |
| 2024 | Jannik Sinner | Aryna Sabalenka |
| 2023 | Novak Djokovic | Coco Gauff |
| 2022 | Carlos Alcaraz | Iga Świątek |
| 2021 | Daniil Medvedev | Emma Raducanu |
| 2020 | Dominic Thiem | Naomi Osaka |
| 2019 | Rafael Nadal | Bianca Andreescu |
| 2018 | Novak Djokovic | Naomi Osaka |
| 2017 | Rafael Nadal | Sloane Stephens |
| 2016 | Stan Wawrinka | Angelique Kerber |
| 2015 | Novak Djokovic | Flavia Pennetta |
| 2014 | Marin Čilić | Serena Williams |
| 2013 | Rafael Nadal | Serena Williams |
| 2012 | Andy Murray | Serena Williams |
| 2011 | Novak Djokovic | Samantha Stosur |
| 2010 | Rafael Nadal | Kim Clijsters |
| 2009 | Juan Martín del Potro | Kim Clijsters |
| 2008 | Roger Federer | Serena Williams |
| 2007 | Roger Federer | Justine Henin |
| 2006 | Roger Federer | Maria Sharapova |
| 2005 | Roger Federer | Kim Clijsters |
| 2004 | Roger Federer | Svetlana Kuznetsova |
| 2003 | Andy Roddick | Justine Henin-Hardenne |
| 2002 | Pete Sampras | Serena Williams |
| 2001 | Lleyton Hewitt | Venus Williams |
| 2000 | Marat Safin | Venus Williams |
The United States hosts around 15 major professional tennis tournaments annually, including the US Open and several ATP/WTA events. In addition, hundreds of USTA-sanctioned tournaments, numerous collegiate, high school, and community competitions take place across the country each year!
The US Open shows how far tennis has come as a respected, celebrated sport worldwide. Even today, millions of enthusiasts are testing their skills against opponents across the net in their backyards, hoping to become pro players one day. Superprof connects you with hundreds of tennis coaches who can professionally assess your skills and offer excellent tips to help you improve your score. If you practice enough, you just might be eligible for the US Open.
References
- Britannica Editors. “U.S. Open.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, 18 May 2026, https://www.britannica.com/sports/US-Open-tennis. Accessed 2 June 2026.
- United States Tennis Association. “2026 US Open Event Schedule.” US Open, https://www.usopen.org/en_US/about/eventschedule.html. Accessed 2 June 2026.
- United States Tennis Association. “2025 US Open Prize Money Sets Record for Largest Purse in Tennis History.” US Open, 6 Aug. 2025, https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2025-08-06/2025_us_open_prize_money_sets_record_for_largest_purse_in_tennis_history.html. Accessed 2 June 2026.
- United States Tennis Association. “Althea Gibson: 75 Years of Breaking Barriers.” US Open, https://www.usopen.org/en_US/content/althea_gibson_achievement_timeline.html. Accessed 2 June 2026.
- United States Tennis Association. “How Billie Jean King Helped Blaze the Trail to Equal Prize Money.” US Open, 14 Mar. 2023, https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2023-03-14/five_decades_of_herstory_how_the_billie_jean_king_helped_blaze_the_trail_to_equal_prize_money.html. Accessed 2 June 2026.
- United States Tennis Association. “On This Day in US Open History: August 29, 1978.” US Open, 29 Aug. 2016, https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2016-08-29/on_this_day_in_us_open_history_august_29_1978.html. Accessed 2 June 2026.
- United States Tennis Association. “Past US Open Champions: Men’s Singles Champions 1881-2025.” US Open, https://www.usopen.org/en_US/visit/history/mschamps.html. Accessed 2 June 2026.
- United States Tennis Association. “Past US Open Champions: Women’s Singles Champions 1887-2025.” US Open, https://www.usopen.org/en_US/visit/history/wschamps.html. Accessed 2 June 2026.
- United States Tennis Association. “The History of the US Open.” US Open, https://www.usopen.org/en_US/visit/history.html. Accessed 2 June 2026.
- United States Tennis Association. “Year by Year: History of the US Open.” US Open, https://www.usopen.org/en_US/visit/year_by_year.html. Accessed 2 June 2026.
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