U.S. Open tennis organizers plan to increase annual prizemoney to $50 million by 2017 — nearly double what it was last year — and switchback to a Sunday men's final in 2015, The Associated Press has learned.
The tournament also is adding an extra $4.1 million to thisyear's prize pool, on top of a $4 million jump already announced in December,bringing 2013's payout to $33.6 million. It was $25.5 million in 2012.
Those moves, aimed at improving relations with playersseeking more say and more money, have been formally presented to the ATP PlayerCouncil in Key Biscayne, Florida.
Details were described to the AP by U.S. Tennis Associationofficials in telephone interviews after their session with representatives fromthe men's tour.
The USTA planned to announce the changes Wednesday.
"Roger Federer said it perhaps best of all: 'It's timefor us to work together, as opposed to working against each other,'" USTAExecutive Director and Chief Operating Officer Gordon Smith said.
Federer, the 17-time major champion, is president of the ATPPlayer Council. He is not playing in the tournament that begins this week atKey Biscayne, but participated in Tuesday's meeting via telephone. Federerjoined other top players, including current No. 1 Novak Djokovic, in lobbyingthe USTA and other Grand Slam tournaments to raise prize money.
Asked to describe the nature of the negotiations withplayers, which began about a year ago, USTA Chairman of the Board and PresidentDavid Haggerty said: "I wouldn't say necessarily 'pressure.' I would say'spirited discussions.'"
The USTA says it does not plan to pay for the higher prizemoney with a similar leap in ticket prices.
"Frankly, we'll take somewhat of a hit," Smithsaid, "but it's the right thing to do for the Open and for the players, sowe're doing it."
The distribution of the new prize money — how much will goto the singles champions, for example, or to losers in the early rounds or todoubles teams — hasn't been decided. An announcement is expected closer to thestart of the U.S. Open, which runs from Aug. 26 to Sept. 9.
The USTA did confirm its commitment to equal paychecks formen and women. But it is not ready to say exactly how prize money will go upbetween now and 2017, other than that it will increase each year.
"We have a good idea, but we are still working onthat," Smith said. "We've shared our thinking (with the ATP), and Ithink we're all pretty much on the same page, but we're working out thedetails."
In December, the USTA said it would move the women's singlesfinal to Sunday and the men's final to Monday in 2013, building in a day ofrest ahead of each title match for the first time and moving from a 14-daytournament to 15 days. Tournament director David Brewer told the AP thatschedule will remain in place in 2014, but the U.S. Open permanently will shiftthings in 2015: women's semifinals Thursday, men's semifinals Friday, women'sfinal Saturday, men's final Sunday.
"It's where we all want to be," Brewer said."They wanted a 14-day event. We wanted a 14-day event. So it's goodnews."
Some top male players complained the U.S. Open had been thesport's only Grand Slam tournament with their semifinals and final on consecutivedays. The USTA liked its old "Super Saturday" setup — since 1984,both men's semifinals and the women's final were all on that day's schedule atFlushing Meadows — but Brewer acknowledged it was time to scrap it.
"We realize the game has changed and how they play thegame is different even than it was 10 years ago," Brewer said. "Theformat we've had for 30 years was putting players and the tournament injeopardy at some point."
The USTA's prize money announcement comes before both theFrench Open (which starts May 26) and Wimbledon (which starts June 24) say howmuch they will offer this year. The Australian Open, held each January,increased its prize money by $4.2 million in January, and said the total almost$31 million was made it the richest Grand Slam event at the time. Much of thepay hike at the 2013 Australian Open went to players who lost in the firstthree rounds.
Haggerty said the sport's leading tournaments have notcoordinated their efforts to placate players.
"Each of the Grand Slams make their owndecisions," Haggerty said. "We have not had conversations with theother Grand Slams to tell them what we're doing. They will hear about it whenit is announced."