It’s no secret that the U.S. Open is Frances Tiafoe’s favorite tournament. The 26-year-old American has made three major quarterfinals in the past five years, and all of them have been in New York.
It’s where he first put himself on the map by taking a prime Roger Federer to five sets as a teenager in 2017, and it’s where he pulled off his only top-5 victory at a major when he upset Rafael Nadal in the fourth round in 2022.
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The U.S. Open is also his wallet’s favorite tournament.
Tiafoe has already earned $1 million for making the semifinals of the 2024 U.S. Open, bringing his total career prize money, including that cash, to $12.8 million—and he’s earned nearly a quarter of that total ($3 million) at the U.S. Open.
“It’s not easy waiting for this tournament all year. I’m so amped up. It’s circled on the calendar every year,” Tiafoe said in a press conference. “I love these two weeks, and I love playing tennis after Wimbledon in the States. There’s no better time for me.”
Tennis’ four Grand Slams award by far the largest payouts of any tournaments other than the year-end ATP Finals, and the U.S. Open does have the biggest purse of the four, but Tiafoe’s lopsided earnings breakdown is still unusual. He’s done better financially at the U.S. Open than at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon combined.
Tiafoe was one of many players who skipped the Olympics on the clay at Roland-Garros this summer so that he could focus on the hard-court swing leading up to the U.S. Open. That approach already paid dividends when Tiafoe advanced to his first-ever Masters 1000 final last month in Cincinnati, earning $573,000.
If he wins on Friday versus fellow American Taylor Fritz, Tiafoe’s U.S. Open haul this year will rise to $1.8 million. If he hoists the trophy on Sunday, he’ll bring home $3.6 million.
Tiafoe credits the atmosphere and love he gets from American fans for his success at the U.S. Open, but the unique environment makes it hard for him to carry over that energy to other tournaments.
“It’s madness out here. Like, what’s going on, bro? It’s crazy. It’s too hard to replicate,” Tiafoe said. “I’m locked in. I’m having fun. I’m not putting so much pressure on myself. I’m kind of just going in, battling.”
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