Frances Tiafoe has already earned $1 million at the 2024 US Open

It's no secret that the US Open is Frances Tiafoe's favorite tournament. The 26-year-old American has reached three quarterfinals in major tournaments in the last five years, and all of them have taken place in New York.

It was here that he first made a name for himself when, as a teenager, he defeated a top-form Roger Federer in five sets in 2017. And it was here that he achieved his only top-5 victory at a major in 2022, when he defeated Rafael Nadal in the fourth round.

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The US Open is also his favorite tournament.

Tiafoe has already earned $1 million for reaching the semifinals of the 2024 US Open, bringing his total career prize money, including that money, to $12.8 million – and he earned almost a quarter of that amount ($3 million) at the US Open.

“It's not easy to wait all year for this tournament. I'm so excited. It's marked on the calendar every year,” Tiafoe said in a press conference. “I love these two weeks and I love playing tennis in the USA after Wimbledon. There's no better time for me.”

Aside from the year-end ATP Finals, tennis's four Grand Slams have by far the highest prize money of any tournament, and the US Open is indeed the tournament with the highest prize money, but Tiafoe's unbalanced income distribution is still unusual. He has done better financially at the US Open than at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon combined.

Tiafoe was one of many players who skipped the Olympic clay court games at Roland-Garros this summer so he could focus on the hard court tour ahead of the US Open. That approach has already paid off, with Tiafoe reaching his first Masters 1000 final in Cincinnati last month, winning $573,000.

If he beats fellow American Taylor Fritz on Friday, Tiafoe's winnings at this year's US Open will rise to $1.8 million. If he lifts the trophy on Sunday, he will take home $3.6 million.

Tiafoe attributes his success at the US Open to the atmosphere and love he receives from his American fans, but the unique environment makes it difficult for him to transfer that energy to other tournaments.

“It's crazy out here. What's going on, brother? It's crazy. It's too hard to replicate,” Tiafoe said. “I'm focused. I'm having fun. I don't put too much pressure on myself. I just go in there and fight.”

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