US Open chiefs gave players competing in their qualifying a huge bonus when they handed them a huge cash gift that will help them pay for an expensive stay in New York.

While prize money for the qualifying event has hit record levels this year after a huge increase announced by USTA chiefs, the tournaments official social media fees showed images of players being informed of their gifts.

The bumper pack of goodies included a $2,500 Uber credit, usable for transportation around the city and meal deliveries when they are in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

They have also been handed a $1,000 American Express gift card, giving them extra money to spend when they are in New York.

British players Fran Jones and Heather Watson were among those who were captured on camera receiving their gift cards.

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This latest gesture from US Open chiefs may not be required for players at the top of the sport, with prize money expanding rapidly if you are in the top 50 of the women’s or men’s rankings.

Gestures like these gift cards are more useful for lower ranked players, who have also been boosted by the expanded prize money on offer in the qualifying rounds for the US Open.

A welcome surprise!

Players received a $2,500 Uber credit and $1,000 American Express gift card upon arrival to New York to help cover costs as they pursue a Grand Slam title. pic.twitter.com/AjCvWGwFLK

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 28, 2026

A first round loser in qualifying collected a stunning $32,000 and players who went out in the third round of qualifying still went home with $66,000.

There has been a huge discussion around prize money in tennis over the last couple of years, with leading players threatening to go on strike unless they received a bigger slice of the profits being made by the Grand Slam events.

Those concerns appear to have been allayed by the prize money increases, as well as the introduction of a new Player Advisory Council that will give them a voice with the tournament organisers.

“These steps represent important progress in the ongoing conversations between players and the US Open over the past 18 months,” a spokesperson for the players said, as they welcomed the prize money increases.

“This is a substantial increase in prize money. While this is not yet tied to an agreed revenue-sharing formula, players remain committed to that principle and will continue to work with each of the grand slams toward that goal.

“Players value the meaningful commitment to player welfare and are keen to discuss how it can grow to fully meet the needs identified in the players’ July 2025 proposal.

“Players have also strongly welcomed the decision by the four Grand Slams to establish a Player Advisory Council, a significant milestone, as it reflects real responsiveness on one of the requests players laid out to the Grand Slams eighteen months ago. The announcement represents a meaningful step forward in giving players a more direct and consistent voice in decisions that affect them.

“Players and their representatives will now discuss the details of how the Council is composed and how it will operate, including who represents them.”

US OPEN 2026 — SINGLES PRIZE MONEY

Champion — $5,500,000

Runner-up — $2,800,000

Semi-finalist — $1,450,000

Quarter-finalist — $780,000

Round of 16 — $480,000

Third round — $290,000

Second round — $190,000

First round — $140,000

US OPEN 2026 — QUALIFYING

Qualifying round 3 — $66,000

Qualifying round 2 — $48,000

Qualifying round 1 — $32,000

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