THE two singles champions at this year’s U.S. Open will earn 35 percent less than in 2019, the last time the Grand Slam tennis tournament allowed spectators, while prize money for qualifying and the first three rounds of the main draw will rise as part of an overall increase. A year after banning fans entirely because of the coronavirus pandemic and lowering prize money due to lost revenue, the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) announced Monday that it will be boosting total player compensation to a record US$57.5 million, slightly more than the US$57.2 million in 2019. The figure was US$53.4 million in 2020. The title winners in singles each will be paid US$2.5 million, down from US$3 million last year and US$3.85 million two years ago. It is the lowest amount for the top prize at Flushing Meadows since 2012, when the singles champs each received US$1.9 million. This year’s singles runners-up will be paid US$1.25 million, a decrease from US$1.5 million in 2020 and US$1.9 million in 2019 — and the lowest since US$950,000 in 2012. In 2020, U.S. Open qualifying was called off amid the pandemic. That part of this year’s event started yesterday — unlike for the main tournament, no spectators will be permitted — and will award nearly US$6 million in all, a jump from about US$3.5 million in 2019. Total prize money is going up for each competition, the USTA said: singles, doubles, mixed doubles and wheelchair tennis. “We determined our round-by-round prize money allocations by engaging in an open dialogue with the players and the management of both tours,” tournament director Stacey Allaster said in a statement issued by the USTA. “We applaud their collective leadership in directing the 2021 U.S. Open prize money to benefit the maximum number of players.” The singles draw in New York is Thursday; main draw action begins Aug. 30. Novak Djokovic will be bidding to complete the first calendar-year Grand Slam by a man since Rod Laver in 1969. Naomi Osaka is the defending women’s champion as she seeks a fifth Grand Slam title. (SD-Agencies) | 