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US Open (Image Source: Twitter)
US Open is right around the corner and the fuss about the mega event is already on. Every player wants to do well in the event and the Cincinnati open is the preparation ground for it. The US Tennis Association (USTA) has a sweet message for the players ahead of the event.
The USTA has decided to award a record $60.1 million in total player compensation for the current year. Each singles champion will receive a whopping $2.6 million twice that the runner-up will receive this year. The weightage is given to players leaving out in the early stages of the event this year. The total player compensation for the last year was $57.5 million.
A hike of $80,000 for players who'll leave in the first round and a hike of $121,000 for the players getting out in the second round. The quarter-finalists will gain $445,000 each while semi-finalists will gain $705,000 each. The runner-up gets half of the title winner amounting to $1.3 million. In 2019, a singles champion earned $3.9 million, while players who lost in the first round got $58,000 and second-round losers gained $100,000.
The build-up to the event has been thrilling with Serena Williams hinting at retirement post the US Open.
The Vaccination Saga:
US Government has eased the mandates pertaining to Covid vaccination and this has given a ray of hope to the Serbian legend Novak Djokovic. The legend missed out on Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open due to non-vaccination and dared to face the consequences for the same.
With the government now easing in on the vaccination mandate, we might see the legend acing at the US Open. Taylor Fritz, his competent, said that he wants to look at both sides of the story. He suggested the officials let the world's number one participate in the league. Fritz admitted the complication involved in the issue because he did not want a player to get special exceptions just because he is a star player.
"But like I said, at the same time, it's conflicting, because I don't know how I feel about making special exceptions just for one person just because of who they are. So I see both sides of the argument, to be honest. It's tough to, you know, differentiate obviously,” Fritz was quoted as saying.