The US Open 2018 - The Final 32 Seed Grand Slam

The 2018 running of the US Open tennis Grand Slam came to an end on 9^th September 2018, handing out a total of $53 million in prize money to the players that took part. 2018’s US Open was Andy Murray’s first tournament after undergoing hip surgery in January 2018. He was knocked out in the second round by Spanish player Fernando Verdasco; this followed Andy’s victory over Australian player James Duckworth, his first in Grand Slam tennis since Wimbledon 2017.

2017’s men’s and women’s singles winners, Rafael Nadal and Sloane Stephens, failed in their attempts to retain their US Open titles in 2018. These titles were instead won by Serbian Novak Djokovic and Japanese player Naomi Osaka, respectively.

2019 Rule Changes

The US Open is traditionally the last of four annual tennis Grand Slam events, boasting this title since 1987. The 2018 running is the last Grand Slam to be held with 32 seeds. Starting in 2019, the Grand Slam tournaments will return to their traditional 16 seed format. In addition, several other rule changes are being made, including alterations to the way prize money gets dished out to players that retire from a first round match, or withdraw late from the tournament because of an injury. Other changes include the partial introduction of clocks to speed up play, similar to the shot clock used in basketball.

These rule changes are part of the Grand Slam Board’s plan to create a better game for fans, particularly paying spectators who are sat courtside. The return to the traditional 16 seed format could spice up play, increasing the chances of unexpected results. This could in turn provide a better spectacle for spectators; however, the proof will be in the pudding when tennis fans such as Othman Louanjli give their verdict after the first 2019 Grand Slam, the Australian Open, in January 2019.

2018 Prize Money

The 2018 US Open’s $53 million prize money was an increase of 5% on the previous year. However, the 5% increase has not been a uniform increase across each tournament, with the top prizes for both women’s and men’s singles competitions increasing by 2.7% against the 2017 winnings, bringing the 2018 total to $3.8 million each.

Halving the Tennis Seed