US Open 2024 tennis tournament set to start on Monday

ISTANBUL

The 2024 US Open, the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, is set to start on Monday.

The tennis tournament is taking place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York through Sept. 8. The venue has been the home of the tournament since 1978.

This year's qualifying rounds featured 128 men and 128 women, all vying for one of the 16 available spots in each singles draw.

The US Open will distribute a total of $75 million to players at the 2024 tournament, up 15.38% from the $65 million awarded last year.

The champions of the women's and men's singles titles will each receive prize money of $3.6 million.

Djokovic, Gauff defending champions

With four US Open titles under his belt, Novak Djokovic is the favorite to win the final Grand Slam of 2024.

The 37-year-old Serbian bagged the titles in 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2023.

Djokovic became the oldest US Open men’s singles winner in the Open Era after defeating Daniil Medvedev last year at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York.

During its 143-year history, only three men have achieved the remarkable feat of winning seven U.S. National or US Open Championships. Bill Larned, Richard Sears, and Bill Tilden each lifted the trophy seven times in the pre-open era.

In women's singles, the defending champion Coco Gauff will aim for her second Grand Slam.

Gauff, 19, won the 2023 U.S. Open to become the youngest American major winner since Serena Williams won her first at the age of 17 in the 1999 tournament.