US Open Mixed Doubles Prize Money Has Exploded In 10 Years

The US Open mixed doubles event has undergone a remarkable transformation in just a decade, with the 2026 champions taking home more than six times the prize money awarded to the winners in 2016. Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik earned a combined $1 million after defeating Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 1-6, 10-6 in Wednesday's final. That means each member of the Czech pairing will collect $500,000 for their title-winning run.

A decade earlier, the financial reward for lifting the same trophy looked very different. Laura Siegemund and Mate Pavic received $150,000 collectively after winning the 2016 US Open Mixed Doubles title, with each player taking home $75,000.

The difference is striking: the total champions' prize has increased by $850,000, representing a 566.6 per cent rise in 10 years.

US Open Mixed doubles go from $75,000 each to $500,000

Siegemund and Pavic's 2016 campaign ended with a straight-sets victory over Coco Vandeweghe and Rajeev Ram, earning the German-Croatian pair their first Grand Slam title.

Their reward was $150,000 - $75,000 apiece.

Muchova and Mensik, by contrast, have walked away from the 2026 tournament with $1 million between them.

For each champion, that represents an increase of $425,000 compared with the individual payout a winner received in 2016.

The percentage increase becomes even more notable when viewed against the backdrop of how mixed doubles has traditionally sat in the hierarchy of Grand Slam tennis.

The event has often operated in the shadow of the singles and main doubles draws, but the numbers surrounding the 2026 championship indicate how significantly its commercial value has grown.

The 2026 champions have earned more than six times the 2016 winners

Muchova and Mensik's $1 million payout is 6.67 times what Siegemund and Pavic received in 2016.

Put another way, the 2026 champions' combined earnings are more than five-and-a-half times higher than those of the 2016 winners.

The change is particularly significant for players who compete primarily outside the singles spotlight.

A $500,000 Grand Slam payday can represent a substantial financial boost for a doubles player, while also underlining the increasing value being placed on the mixed doubles competition.

Muchova and Mensik were not even the only story of the revamped event.

A new generation of mixed doubles stars

The 2026 tournament also featured several high-profile combinations, reflecting the event's ability to bring together players who might otherwise rarely share a court.

Last year's champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori had won the title for a second consecutive year in 2025, having also captured Roland Garros.

Their attempt at a third straight US Open crown ended in the opening round this year when they were beaten by Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev.

Andreeva and Rublev progressed to the semi-finals before eventually losing to Muchova and Mensik.

The result added another layer to an event that has increasingly become a platform for established singles players, doubles specialists and emerging stars to share the Grand Slam stage.

Why the jump matters

The difference between $150,000 and $1 million is not simply a reflection of inflation over 10 years.

It represents a fundamental change in the financial scale of the competition.

The 2016 champions earned $75,000 each. In 2026, that figure has become $500,000 - an additional $425,000 per player.

For Muchova, the victory provides a significant reward for a title run alongside Mensik. For Mensik, it represents another major milestone in a career that is still developing.

More broadly, the prize-money jump illustrates how the economics of tennis have changed, while showing that the financial conversation at the US Open is no longer confined to the singles champions.

The mixed doubles title is becoming a bigger prize

Muchova admitted after the final that winning the tournament had not been her expectation.

"I'm obviously super happy that we managed to win. It was not my expectation," she said after securing the title.

That surprise perhaps captures part of what makes the 2026 mixed doubles event noteworthy.

What was once a relatively modest addition to the Grand Slam schedule now carries a $1 million prize for the winning pair.

In 2016, the champions shared $150,000.

Ten years later, the US Open mixed doubles champions are millionaires from the title alone.

And the most revealing number may be the simplest one: $500,000 per player - compared with $75,000 a decade ago.