Marin Čilić was the defending champion in the men's singles event, but lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Serena Williams was the three-time defending champion in the women's singles event and was also trying to complete the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988, having won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon, but lost to Roberta Vinci in the semifinals. Flavia Pennetta won the women's singles title and became the first Italian to win the US Open. The finalists Vinci and Flavia Pennetta were childhood friends from Southern Italy and grew up together.[1]
Tournament
Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the Finals of US Open took place
The tournament was an event run by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and is part of the 2015 ATP World Tour and the 2015 WTA Tour calendars under the Grand Slam category. The tournament consists of both men's and women's singles and doubles draws as well as a mixed doubles event. There are singles and doubles events for both boys and girls (players under 18), which is part of the Grade A category of tournaments, and singles, doubles and quad events for men's and women's wheelchair tennis players as part of the NEC tour under the Grand Slam category.
In addition, the annual men's and women's Champions Invitational doubles events were held, with eight male and eight female former Grand Slam champions taking part. For the second year running, the American Collegiate Invitational competitions is organized, where top sixteen American collegiate players compete in men's and women's singles events. Exhibition matches also take place.
The tournament is played on hard courts and takes place over a series of 17 courts with DecoTurf surface, including the three main showcourts – Arthur Ashe Stadium (with permanent steel erected and new video boards, LED court lighting and sound system in place, as part of a refurbishment project), Louis Armstrong Stadium and Grandstand. It is the last ever US Open played on courts without the operational roof on center court and with the old Grandstand in place. Starting from the 2016 edition, the Arthur Ashe Stadium will have completed retractable roof and matches will be played on newly built Grandstand.
After two years of tournament being scheduled across 15 days, the US Open returns to a traditional 14-day schedule in 2015, which has impact on all senior events. Women's singles semifinals have been scheduled for September 10 evening session, while men's singles semifinal matches will be played on Friday September 11 after mixed doubles final. Men's doubles final will be played before women's singles final on Saturday September 12, and men's singles final will follow women's doubles final.
Because Serena Williams could become the first woman to win all four major tennis titles in a calendar year since Steffi Graf accomplished the feat in 1988 and because she could tie Graf's major title count of 22, the women's final sold out before the men's final for the first time.[2]
Broadcast
In the United States, the 2015 US Open was the first under a new, 11-year, $825 million contract with ESPN, in which the broadcaster holds exclusive rights to the entire tournament and the US Open Series, thus ending CBS Sports' 46-year association with the tournament, and availability of coverage on broadcast television. This also made ESPN the exclusive U.S. broadcaster for three of the four tennis majors (the French Open is split between Tennis Channel for cable coverage and NBC for over-the-air coverage, with portions previously sub-licensed to ESPN until 2016).[3][4][5]
Point and prize money distribution
Point distribution
Below is a series of tables for each of the competitions showing the ranking points on offer for each event.
Senior
Event
W
F
SF
QF
Round of 16
Round of 32
Round of 64
Round of 128
Q
Q3
Q2
Q1
Men's singles
2000
1200
720
360
180
90
45
10
25
16
8
0
Men's doubles
0
—
—
—
—
—
Women's singles
1300
780
430
240
130
70
10
40
30
20
2
Women's doubles
10
—
—
—
—
—
Wheelchair
Event
W
F
SF/3rd
QF/4th
Singles
800
500
375
100
Doubles
800
500
100
—
Quad singles
800
500
375
100
Quad doubles
800
100
—
—
Junior
Event
W
F
SF
QF
Round of 16
Round of 32
Q
Q3
Boys' singles
375
270
180
120
75
30
25
20
Girls' singles
Boys' doubles
270
180
120
75
45
—
—
—
Girls' doubles
—
—
—
Prize money
The US Open total prize money for 2015 was increased by 10.5 percent to a record $42,253,400, which potentially could reach almost 45 million dollars, as the top three finishers in the Emirates Airline US Open Series may earn up an additional $2.625 million in bonus money at the US Open.
Of the total prize money, $33,017,800 (plus $1,760,000 in qualifying competitions) is distributed for singles players, $4,927,600 for teams competing in doubles events and $500,000 for mixed doubles teams. Competitors in Legends Exhibition, Wheelchair and Champions Invitational events earn $570,000 while players' per diem is estimated at $1,478,000.[6]
Top three players in the 2015 US Open Series receive bonus prize money, depending on where they finished in the 2015 US Open, according to money schedule below.[7]
Maria Sharapova, the 2006 champion, ranked third in the world (formerly first), withdrew from the tournament due to a leg injury the day before tournament began. Making her withdrawal that was for the second time in three years.[8]
Eugenie Bouchard announced that she is withdrawing from the tournament citing a concussion days before her scheduled fourth round match with 43rd-ranked Roberta Vinci. She also withdrew from Women's Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Due to a withdrawal issue, Vinci advanced to her US Open quarterfinal in four years.[10]
Day 8
Kevin Anderson, the 15th seed, upset the 3rd seeded Andy Murray in the fourth round on a four setter win. This was the first time since 2010 US Open that Murray failed to reach his Slam quarterfinal. Anderson became the first South African to reach a Slam quarterfinal since Wayne Ferreira at the 2003 Australian Open.[11]
Day 9 and 10
In the women's quarterfinals, Kristina Mladenovic, Petra Kvitová and Simona Halep reached in their first US Open quarterfinal. For Mladenovic, it was her first Grand Slam singles quarterfinal overall six years after her first Slam debut.[12][13]
Day 11
The women's semifinals was scheduled to be on September 10 but was canceled due to a rain.[14]
Day 12
Roberta Vinci defeated Women's No. 1 and 3-time defending champion Serena Williams in three sets. This loss ended Williams' bid to win a calendar-year Grand Slam.[15]
Day 13
In the women's final, the two players were Italian: Vinci and Flavia Pennetta. This was the first time this happened in the Open Era.[16]
Seedings are based on rankings as of August 24, 2015. Rankings and points before are as of August 31, 2015.
Because the tournament takes place one week later than in 2014, points defending includes results from both the 2014 US Open and tournaments from the week of September 8, 2014 (Davis Cup for the men; Hong Kong, Québec, and Tashkent for the women).
