Although Taylor Swift was a well-known face in the stands at the US Open this year, her history with the competition has not always been as stellar.
Swift performed the American national anthem on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court when she was barely 12 years old, and she came back aged 13 to sing “America the Beautiful.”
However, the US Open organisers turned down her father’s request to have her return for a third appearance at one of the most important athletic tournaments on the American calendar.
In the most recent episode of Served with Andy Roddick, entertainment producer for the US Open Michael Fiur disclosed everything.
“Back in 2002, when I was President of the USTA, a man named Merv Heller told me that my friend Scott Swift is an attorney, and his 12-year-old daughter plays the guitar and sings,” Fiur started.
“Would you please allow her to come and participate in the nighttime national anthem singing before the matches?” he asked. Sure, we replied.
Then, a year later, her father asked if we could place her on Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, which was the worst choice I have ever made.
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We said, ‘We don’t think it would play in New York; she’s incredibly country and she’s just getting started.
“I do not share this publicly very often.”
As Fiur reflected on some of the other entertaining performances who stole the show at the US Open, he had no idea that he was turning away a potential global celebrity.
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The remarks are made when USTA executives are figuring out how much money the US Open brought in this year.
With a fan week prior of the main draw for the final Grand Slam of the tennis year, this event has become one of the most lucrative in world sport.
During fan week and the two weeks of the competition, the 2023 US Open attracted a record 957,000 spectators, and the organisers reported money that made for mouthwatering relief.
$185.4 million in ticket sales, $122.5 million in sponsorships, and $71 million in corporate hospitality were reported.
The $142.9 million earned from media rights alone did not account for product sales or the enormous profits from the now-famous US Open honey duce drink, which is a must-have for every guest.
The players receive a portion of the money made by the USTA, which helps to explain how they were able to give this year’s competitors the largest prize checks in the competition’s history.
In 2023, Djokovic and Gauff received $3,000,000 for their wins; however, in 2024, there was a 20% rise, with the winners of the men’s and women’s singles categories taking home $3,600,000.
Runners-up in the main draw took home $1,800,000, a 20% increase over the $1,500,000 total awarded in 2023. A total of $75,000,000 was up for grabs in all events.
$100,000 in prize money was awarded to players who fell in the first round of the men’s and women’s singles draw, a 23% increase over the previous summer.
The first-round prize money has increased by 72% since 2019, when $58,000 was awarded to players who lost their opening match.
Men’s and women’s doubles prize money pools increased by 9% overall, with $750,000 going to the champions in each event instead of $700,000 in 2023.
The prize money package for the mixed doubles draw was boosted by 18% overall, and the champions took home between $200,000 and $30,000 more than they did in 2023.
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