US Open 2024: How much prize money did Carlos Alcaraz, Sofia Kenin, Sebastian Korda, Taylor Townsend, Matteo Berrettini earn despite losing in second round?
The second round of the US Open 2024 concluded on Thursday, August 29, and had its fair share of casualties. World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz was knocked out by Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets in one of the most shocking losses in recent times.
Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, top 10 players Hubert Hurkacz and Barbora Krejcikova, former Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini, and Americans Sebastian Korda and Taylor Townsend were among the other notable names to be eliminated in the second round. All of them earned $140,000 for their efforts at the US Open.
Alcaraz's loss was the most surprising. He had won the last two Majors, and was bidding to become the third man to win a Major on all surfaces in a single season. However, van de Zandschulp had other plans as he outclassed the Spaniard to beat him 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.
Korda and Hurkacz's poor run in New York continued for another year as both failed to end their second-round jinx here. The American lost to Tomas Machac 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, while the Pole was handed a 7-6 (2), 6-1, 7-5 loss by Jordan Thompson. Berrettini, meanwhile, went down 6-3, 7-6 (1), 6-1 against Taylor Fritz.
Kenin put up a fight against Jessica Pegula but came up short as she lost 7-6 (4), 6-3. Townsend was shown the door by the in-form Paula Badosa, who beat her 6-3, 7-5. Reigning Wimbledon champion Krejcikova was stunned by qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse, who defeated her 6-4, 7-5.
The total prize money for the US Open 2024 is up by 15 percent this year
Prize money across all Majors has only gone up over the years, and the trend continued at this year's US Open as well. The total prize money, which was $65 million last year, has been upped to a whopping $75 million this year.
The singles champions, who took home $3 million last year, will receive $3.6 million this time. The losing finalists will get $1.8 million this year, which has increased from $1.5 million on offer last year.
The prize money has also increased across the early rounds. Players who bowed out in the first round this year made $100,000, instead of $81,500 they got last year. A second-round exit this year added $140,000 to players' bank balance, which is up from $123,000 last year.
Here's a comparison of the prize money offered at the US Open for the 2024 and the 2023 editions: