Do US Open Winners Get to Keep the Real Trophy? USTA’s Prize Policy Explained

As Aryna Sabalenka secured a win over Amanda Anisimova, the one thing that caught the world’s attention was the intricate US Open trophy. But that made many of us wonder a few things about the trophy. Who exactly owns the trophies, and do the winners really get to keep their mementos? Let’s find out!

What is the official US Open trophy, and who owns it?

The US Open Trophy has been designed and handcrafted by Tiffany & Co. for the past 40 years at the Tiffany hollowware workshop in Cumberland, Rhode Island. And that includes the men’s singles, women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles trophies. Each trophy needs around four and a half months to finish. These trophies weigh around 10 lbs and are usually 18.5 inches tall. Meanwhile, the doubles trophies are 4.5 lbs lighter. 

Reflecting on their pride in the trophies, Tiffany & Co. once wrote, “Passion is what turns seconds into final sets, minutes into quarters, and hours into overtime. It’s what drives us forward, pushes us through, and narrowly separates victory from defeat. Each year, the skilled craftspeople at the Tiffany hollowware workshop use time-honored techniques to handcraft the most revered symbols of athletic achievement. Why? Because if an athlete can spend their whole life training for one perfect moment, we should do the same.”

But do the players really own the trophies they win? Well, not really! These are perpetual trophies that are owned by the USTA. The players do not have any ownership over them. So, does that mean the players can’t really take the trophies home? 

Do champions actually keep the real trophy?

The answer to that is a simple no. The winners of the US Open DO NOT keep the real trophy. They’re usually given an engraved replica, stating their name on it. Back in 2023, the USTA stated, “For the first time ever, Tiffany & Co. will oversee on-site, immediate hand-engraving of both the men’s and women’s singles keepsake trophies. Each singles champion will now be able to leave the US Open with their engraved, keepsake trophy in hand.”

Is this a tradition for the US Open? Or do the other three Grand Slams also have a similar policy regarding the trophies?

Do other Grand Slams follow the same policy?

Well, the same story continues at Wimbledon. The winners get to keep a smaller replica of the original trophies. Meanwhile, the real one stays at the All England Club. This replica is actually three-fourths the size of the original one in the museum. 

At Roland Garros, the French Open, the men’s winners receive the ‘Coupe des Mousquetaires,’ while the women’s winners receive the ‘Coupe Suzanne Lenglen.’ And these trophies are just for the ceremony. The champions receive a smaller replica as their memento.

The Australian Open also gives out replicas to the winners while preserving the original trophies. It’s a pretty common tradition across the world of tennis. But the cup is not the only reward that the champions get, right?

What other rewards do US Open champions receive?

The trophy is not the only reward that the champions receive. Ever since 1973, both men and women have been getting equal prize money. During an interview, the US Open tournament director, Stacey Allaster, said, “Equality is in our DNA here at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Everything we do, we’re very intentional about equality.”

Right now, at the 2025 US Open, the winners are set to earn $5 million in prize money. Meanwhile, the finalists take home around $2.5 million, and the semifinalists thicken their pockets by $1.26 million. The prize begins with $110,000 for the Round of 128 winners and goes on increasing. 

Final take—why does the real trophy stay with USTA?

These trophies are considered priceless pieces of history and need to be preserved. That’s the reason why the US Open trophies stay with the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, NYC. And this has been the tradition since 1931. Another reason for the same is security. A single traveling trophy could be at risk of damage, theft, or delayed returns. Keeping the original in New York ensures it’s always safe and available for the next year’s event.

But of course, the players need to be honored. They can always visit the museums to click photos with their trophies. Additionally, they receive a replica of the same, along with some big prize money. And that can tell their legacy.

What do you think of the tradition of keeping the original trophies in museums instead of giving them to the winners? While you discuss that in the comments section, don’t miss a beat from the ongoing 2025 US Open by visiting the EssentiallySports Live Blog!