The U.S. Open begins on Sunday in New York with a record $90 million purse and an expanded 15-day schedule that starts a day earlier than usual. Singles champions will earn $5 million each, underscoring the tournament’s status as the richest event in tennis. Headlining the field is Venus Williams, who at 45 returns after a 16-month hiatus for a record-extending 25th appearance. Granted a wild card despite a No. 610 ranking, the seven-time major winner will meet 11th-seeded Karolina Muchova in the first round on Monday. Williams told reporters the chance to compete at her home Grand Slam “does not get old; it just gets more exciting.” Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka open their title defences against Vit Kopriva and Rebeka Masarova, respectively. No player has retained the U.S. Open crown in more than a decade, a statistic both world No. 1s are eager to overturn. Sabalenka acknowledged the extra pressure of Flushing Meadows, while Sinner noted the physical and scheduling challenges of the season’s final major. Former champion Daniil Medvedev faces a difficult opener against France’s Benjamin Bonzi, who has beaten him in both prior meetings. Rising teenagers Mirra Andreeva, Vicky Mboko, João Fonseca and Learner Tien add further intrigue to the draw as they seek to build on breakthrough seasons. The U.S. Tennis Association is also trialling a revamped mixed-doubles competition staged during fan week. The 16-team, winner-take-all format offers a $1 million prize and features high-profile singles players alongside doubles specialists as the sport experiments with ways to widen its audience.