tennis news

US Open Offers Record $108 million Player Prize Package, up 20% from 2025

Tennis Panorama News · August 20, 2026 ·

(August 20, 2026) The U.S. Open will offer a record $108 million player compensation package at the 2026 tournament, a 20% increase from last year and the second consecutive year of a 20% increase, the United States Tennis Association announced Thursday.

The increase represents a 44% rise in total player compensation over two years. It includes record prize money for singles champions and first-round payouts, as well as a new $2 million US Open Player Support Program.

Men’s and women’s singles champions will each receive $5.5 million, the largest championship prize in tennis history. First-round singles payouts will increase 27% to $140,000, also a Grand Slam record.

Qualifying first-round payouts for men and women will rise 16% to $32,000. Men’s, women’s and mixed doubles champions will receive $1 million per team.

The new Player Support Program will receive an initial $2 million commitment in 2026, split equally between male and female players. The funds will be held in an escrow account while details of the program are finalized with input from the newly formed Grand Slam Player Council.

The program is intended to complement existing end-of-career pension funds by providing benefits for mid-career life events and retirement transitions. Eligibility will be based on participation in the U.S. Open main draw in singles or doubles rather than ranking tiers.

The U.S. Open also joined the Australian Open, Roland-Garros and Wimbledon in forming the Grand Slam Player Council, which will give players a voice on on-court and tournament issues. The council will also provide recommendations on how to deploy the new U.S. Open Player Support Program.

“This is a significant first step in a multiyear investment in athletes as the U.S. Open continues to be the best economic opportunity for players and the most valuable platform in tennis for players, fans and partners,” USTA CEO Craig Tiley said. “We are proud to deliver record-setting prize money and expanded player benefits as well as providing a new platform to work together with players.”

USTA Chairman and President Brian Vahaly said the new program and council build on the U.S. Open’s history of working with players.

“We look forward to working directly with players to better understand the opportunities and challenges they face, and to continue finding meaningful ways to support them both on and off the court,” Vahaly said.

More details on the Player Support Program and Grand Slam Player Council are expected following further consultation with players.

News Release: Grand Slam Tournaments Announce the Formation of a Grand Slam Player Advisory Council

Tennis Panorama News · August 20, 2026 ·

(August 20, 2026) News Release:

MELBOURNE, PARIS, LONDON, FLUSHING, N.Y. – The Australian Open, Roland-Garros, The Championships, Wimbledon, and US Open today announced the formation of a Grand Slam Player Advisory Council to serve as the forum for direct communication, feedback and collaboration between the Grand Slams and players.

The Council, which will launch following the 2026 US Open, will further strengthen the partnership between the Grand Slams and the players, with a focus on player input into sporting matters at the four Grand Slam tournaments and advancing the shared goal of greater player support.

The Grand Slams are currently shaping the Council’s initial composition, framework and operating structure with player input. Interested players will be invited to apply and those appointed to the Council will address the full range of Grand Slam sporting matters.

Sporting matters that affect the Grand Slam tournaments collectively will be addressed through the Council on a joint basis. The Council will also provide a regular forum for players to raise and discuss player welfare and compensation matters, including prize money, with each Grand Slam individually because of the distinct structure, economics, governance and decision-making process of each tournament and consistent with applicable legal requirements.

Players have welcomed the formation of the new Council and the opportunity for more direct engagement with the Grand Slams.

Ben Shelton said, “Having a seat at the table with the Grand Slams is something we have wanted for some time, so I’m really pleased to see this council come together. It gives us, as players, a real opportunity to have a voice, contribute to the conversation and help shape the tournaments beyond what happens on the court.”

Jessica Pegula added, “The Grand Slams are the biggest events of the year and the events that the players prioritize and focus on throughout the season. Their impact on a player’s career cannot be overstated, and that is why it is so important that we have a voice in matters at these tournaments. The formation of this player council represents that, and I am pleased that the Grand Slams have put this forward.”

Grand Slam Chairs echo the sentiment.

Chris Harrop, Chair of Tennis Australia, said: “The Council will provide a regular forum for the players to share their ideas on how the Grand Slams can continue to improve the player experience and make our events even more compelling for tennis fans around the world. We look forward to working with them and our fellow Grand Slams through this important new forum.”

Gilles Moretton, Chair of the French Tennis Federation, said: “The creation of the Grand Slam Player Council will have a positive impact on our sport. By creating a new space for dialogue, we are giving players more opportunities to help shape, alongside us, the continued growth of Grand Slam Tennis.”

Deborah Jevans, Chair of the All England Club, said: “We have listened to the players’ desire for a greater voice and this advisory council is an important step towards a stronger relationship between the Grand Slams and the players. We look forward to working together to elevate the player experience, further enhance the Grand Slam tournaments and ensure the sport continues to thrive.”

Brian Vahaly, USTA Chairman of the Board and President, said: “The Grand Slams and players share a commitment to making tennis stronger. This Council marks an important step in building an even closer relationship with players and creating a more consistent way for us to shape the future of the Grand Slams and their impact on our sport.”

About the Grand Slam Tournaments

The Grand Slam tournaments – the Australian Open; Roland-Garros; The Championships, Wimbledon; and the US Open – represent the pinnacle of professional tennis, bringing together the world’s best players to compete in the sport’s four most prestigious individual events. Together, the tournaments offer more than 2,000 playing opportunities across hard, clay and grass courts in multi-week competitions in a quest to win the highest levels of ranking points, prize money and global recognition available in professional tennis. The Grand Slams are the most widely followed events in tennis with international broadcast partners and media rights holders reaching a global audience of more than 2 billion people in over 200 countries, welcoming nearly 4 million fans on-site and generating more than 6 billion video views and 12 billion social media impressions every year. Non-profit governing bodies operate the Australian Open, Roland-Garros and the US Open, while Wimbledon is operated by a private club; each is dedicated to growing the sport by investing tournament profits back into growing tennis participation, high-performance programs and player development. Together, Tennis Australia, the French Tennis Federation, The All England Lawn Tennis Club, and the United States Tennis Association are committed to advancing tennis worldwide through significant investment, innovation, and excellence, creating value for sponsors, inspiring generations of players, and delivering unforgettable experiences for fans.

ESPN 2026 US Open Broadcast Schedule

Tennis Panorama News · August 19, 2026 ·

(August 19, 2026) ESPN will be covering the 2026 US Open from the first ball to the last.

The 2026 Women’s and Men’s singles US Open Qualifying will begin Monday, August 24, on ESPN2 and streaming on ESPN+ on the ESPN App, with all-day action from the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Qualifying is part of ESPN’s US Open tournament coverage, a staple of ESPN’s portfolio since 2018.

Competition for the coveted open slots in the US Open draws – 16 each for Women and Men – begins at 11 a.m. ET, Monday, August 24, and culminates Thursday, August 27, with all matches scheduled per day. Tuesday’s coverage begins at 10 a.m.

On-demand replays and video-on-demand will be available on ESPN+ on the ESPN App throughout the tournament.

US Open Mixed Doubles Championship Aug. 25-26
The two-day US Open Mixed Doubles Championship will feature 16 teams pairing top men’s and women’s players in competition for the title. ESPN2 will present live coverage Tuesday, August 25, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., followed by additional coverage on ESPN+ on the ESPN App from 3 – 5 p.m. The semifinals will be presented live on ESPN2, Wednesday, August 26, from 7-9 p.m., with the Mixed Doubles Championship final beginning on ESPN and ESPN+ at 9 p.m.

Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York Aug. 25 on ESPN2, Disney+ and ESPN+ on the ESPN App
Five-time consecutive US Open champion and 2026 Hall-of-Fame inductee Roger Federer will return to New York for the first time since 2019 for an exhibition event at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday, Aug. 25, with live coverage on ESPN2, Disney+, and ESPN+ on the ESPN App for subscribers from 8-10 p.m.

Stars of the Open presented by Chase Aug. 27
“Stars of the Open” is a one-night exhibition featuring several of tennis’ leading young players at Arthur Ashe Stadium. World No. 25 João Fonseca, world No. 30 Alexandra Eala and Americans Learner Tien and Iva Jovic will team up to compete on Thursday, Aug. 27. The event will be presented live on ESPN2 and streaming on ESPN+ on the ESPN App from 6-9 p.m.

Notable Women in US Open Women’s Singles Qualifying Draw *

Sofia Kenin – The 2020 Australian Open champion and 2020 Roland Garros runner-up has never played qualifying across her 10 main draw appearances in Flushing Meadows. The last time Kenin played in qualifying at any Major was 2023 Wimbledon.

Qinwen Zheng – The 23-year-old from China won the gold medal in singles at the 2024 Paris Olympics and reached World No. 4 in June last season. The 2024 Australian Open runner-up missed last year’s US Open after she underwent surgery on her right elbow in July 2025 following Wimbledon.

Bianca Andreescu -The 2019 US Open title holder defeated Serena Williams in the final, becoming Canada’s first Major singles champion regardless of gender. She is seeking her first US Open appearance since 2024.

Notable Men in US Open Men’s Singles Qualifying Draw *

Michael Zheng – The two-time NCAA singles champion at Columbia (2024-25) reached the 3rd round at this year’s Wimbledon before losing to World No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime. Zheng is seeking his first career US Open main draw appearance after losing in qualifying each of the past three years.

Mackenzie McDonald – The former UCLA standout, who won the 2016 NCAA titles in both singles and doubles, has played in the main draw of the US Open every year since the start of 2020. The Piedmont, California native has made the fourth round of a Major twice at the 2018 Wimbledon and 2021 Australian Open.

Reilly Opelka – The former Wimbledon boys’ singles champion in 2015, Opelka made the fourth round at the 2021 US Open.

Grigor Dimitrov – The former World No. 3 made the semifinals at the 2019 US Open as 78th-ranked player in the world, highlighted by a win over 5-time US Open champion Roger Federer in the quarterfinals.

*Denotes player(s) could receive a wildcard

2026 US Open Qualifying, Mixed Doubles Championship and Fan Week on ESPN schedule (all times ET)

Date	Time (ET)	Event	Where to Watch
Mon, Aug 24	11 a.m. – 1 p.m.	Qualifying First Round	ESPN2, ESPN+
Mon, Aug 24	11 a.m. – End of Play	Qualifying First Round (14 courts)	ESPN+
Tue, Aug 25	10 a.m. – 3 p.m.	Mixed Doubles First and Second Round, Qualifying First Round	ESPN2, ESPN+
	10 a.m. – End of Play	Qualifying First Round (14 courts)	ESPN+
	3 p.m. – 5 p.m.	Mixed Doubles First and Second Round	ESPN+
	8 p.m. – 10 p.m.	Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York	ESPN2, ESPN+, Disney+
Wed, Aug 26	11 a.m. – 1 p.m.	Qualifying Second Round	ESPN2, ESPN+
	11 a.m. – End of Play	Qualifying Second Round (14 courts)	ESPN+
	7 p.m. – 9 p.m.9 p.m. – 11 p.m.	Mixed Doubles SemifinalsMixed Doubles Championship	ESPN2, ESPN+ESPN, ESPN+
Thu, Aug 27	11 a.m. – 1 p.m.	Qualifying Third Round	ESPN2, ESPN+
	11 a.m. – End of Play	Qualifying Third Round (14 courts)	ESPN+
	6 p.m. – 9 p.m.	Stars of the Open ft. Alexandra Eala, Learner Tien, Iva Jovic, Arthur Fils, Amanda Anisimova, Marta Kostyuk and more.*	ESPN2, ESPN+

* Participants subject to change
** Schedule is subject to change

Following Fan Week, ESPN will present exclusive “first ball to last ball” coverage of the 2026 US Open beginning Sunday, August 24. Full coverage details will be announced closer to the event.

Cruz Hewitt, the 17-year-old son of Hall of Famer Lleyton Hewitt, To Make His Winston-Salem Open Debut

Tennis Panorama News · August 19, 2026 ·

During the 2026 Mubadala DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center on July 26, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Jeff Dean /Wick Photography for Mubadala DC Open)

(August 19, 2026) The Winston-Salem Open has awarded two-time major finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas and rising star Cruz Hewitt wild cards into the 2026 tournament. This will be the 12-time ATP Tour champion’s second appearance in Winston-Salem, while Cruz will make his Winston-Salem debut for just his second ATP main draw appearance of his career.

“It’s great to welcome Stefanos Tsitsipas back to Winston-Salem after he quickly became a fan favorite at last year’s tournament,” said Tournament Director Jeff Ryan. “We’re also looking forward to rising star Cruz Hewitt making his Winston-Salem debut, with both players joining an already strong field for this year’s tournament.”

Tsitsipas reached a career-high ranking of World No. 3 in 2021 and has finished runner-up at the 2021 French Open and 2023 Australian Open. He has one title to his name so far in 2026, with a win at the ATP 250 EFG Swiss Open Gstaad in July.

The 17-year-old Hewitt is having a breakout season highlighted by reaching the Wimbledon boys’ singles final and claiming his first career ATP Tour main draw win at the DC Open. That win propelled him to a career-high singles ranking of No. 370 (currently ranked No. 376).

Tsitsipas and Cruz join several top 50 stars set to compete at this year’s event, including World No. 20 Luciano Darderi, Wimbledon semi-finalist Arthur Fery, and former World No. 10 Denis Shapovalov. The full player field can be viewed here, with remaining spots to be filled by wild cards and winners of the Winston-Salem Open qualifying tournament.

Nick Kyrgios Suspended After Positive Test for Cocaine

Tennis Panorama News · August 19, 2026 ·

(August 19, 2026) Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios has revealed that he tested positive for cocaine, describing the doping case as a “wake-up call” after a prolonged period in which injuries have disrupted his tennis career.

The 31-year-old Australian announced the failed drug test Wednesday, saying he takes full responsibility for what he called a serious mistake. Kyrgios said he had felt “helpless and alone” as persistent injuries limited his ability to compete at the highest level.

“I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine,” Kyrgios wrote on Instagram. “I made a huge mistake and take full responsibility for it.”

Kyrgios tested positive in June while competing at a lower-tier grass-court event in Spain. Cocaine is classified as a prohibited substance during competition under anti-doping rules, although sanctions can be less severe when authorities determine that the substance was used outside competition.

The positive test comes during one of the most difficult stretches of Kyrgios’ professional career. Since his breakthrough 2022 season, when he reached the Wimbledon final and lost to Novak Djokovic, he has played only 10 ATP Tour singles matches, winning two.

Once regarded as one of the sport’s most naturally gifted and unpredictable players, Kyrgios has subsequently fallen to No. 919 in the world rankings.

His career has long been marked by a combination of spectacular tennis and controversy. His fiery personality and disciplinary history have frequently made headlines, while injuries have increasingly kept him away from the court.

One of his more unusual recent appearances came last December in Dubai, when he defeated Aryna Sabalenka in an exhibition-style “Battle of the Sexes” match.

Now, the cocaine case represents another significant setback for Kyrgios. He faces the possibility of a suspension of up to four years, although the eventual sanction could be considerably shorter depending on the circumstances surrounding the violation.

For Kyrgios, however, the case has also prompted a period of reflection. His comments suggest that the physical and emotional toll of years of injuries contributed to a difficult period away from the game.

The former Wimbledon finalist now faces the consequences of the failed test as he attempts to rebuild his career and regain his place in professional tennis.

The official news release from the International Integrity Agency:

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has provisionally suspended Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme.

31-year-old Kyrgios provided a sample during an ATP 250 event in Mallorca, Spain, on 22 June 2026. On 17 July 2026, a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory confirmed the presence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.

Cocaine is a stimulant and substance of abuse on the WADA Prohibited List and is banned in competition under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme. If taken out of competition, reduced sanctions apply for substances of abuse.

Because of the nature of the substance, a provisional suspension is mandatory and has been in place since 4 August 2026.

Kyrgios, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 13 in October 2016, has the right to appeal the provisional suspension, but has not done so to date.

As with all Tennis Anti-Doping Programme cases, ITIA support is available to Kyrgios.

While suspended, Kyrgios is not allowed to play in, coach at, or attend any events organised or sanctioned by World Tennis, WTA, ATP, the Grand Slams, or any national association.