Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in the U.S. Open final 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Sunday for his second win at Flushing Meadows and sixth Grand Slam victory.
The win included $5 million in prize money, up from $3.6 million in 2024. It is the biggest payout ever on the ATP Tour, a tick ahead of the $4.9 million Sinner won at the 2024 ATP Finals. The event’s total prize money was $90 million, up 20% from 2024.
Sinner earned $2.5 million in losing the final. “I tried my best today, I couldn’t do more,” he said during the post-match trophy presentation.
In the women’s final on Saturday, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka beat American Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6 (3) to defend her U.S. Open title in front of a 24,000-person sellout crowd under the roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium. The $5 million payday pushed Sabalenka’s 2025 earnings to $12.1 million, just behind Serena Williams’ 2013 single-season record of $12.4 million ($23.7 million adjusted for inflation).
At $42.3 million, Sabalenka now ranks fourth behind only Serena Williams ($94.8 million), Venus Williams ($42.9 million) and Iga Świątek ($42.6 million) for career WTA prize money.
Sinner and Alcaraz arrived at the U.S. Open as the heavy co-favorites to claim the men’s title, and the two have now captured the last eight Grand Slams between them. They split the 2025 Slams, with Alcaraz also winning the French Open after facing three match points and storming back from two sets down. Sinner won this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon, defeating Alcaraz in four sets in the latter.
This is Alcaraz’s 23rd career title overall; his other Slam victories before this year came at the 2022 U.S. Open, 2023 Wimbledon and the French Open/Wimbledon double in 2024. Alcaraz will take over the No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings next week.
Alcaraz ranked second in Sportico’s look last month at the world’s highest-paid tennis players at $49 million, just behind Sinner ($52.3 million) over the past 12 months from prize money, endorsements, bonuses and appearance fees. Alcaraz has been tabbed as tennis’s next great star by sponsors; the Spanish pro earned an estimated $36 million from sponsors and appearance fees over the past 12 months, which is three times his prize money earnings and tops in the sport.
Nike redid Alcaraz’s deal in 2023 and pays him more than $10 million a year, including bonuses. Other partners include LVMH, Rolex, BMW, Babolat, Calvin Klein, ISDIN sunscreen and Brazil’s Itaú Unibanco. In June, he partnered with French food giant Danone to pitch its brands, including Evian, which has a heavy presence in tennis. His latest deal is with yogurt brand Oikos.
Sinner and Alcaraz have emerged as the sport’s dominant players, following the Big Three of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who won a combined 66 out of 81 Grand Slam events between 2003 and 2023. Their reign might be just getting started. Sinner turned 24 last month, while Alcaraz is only 22.
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