In addition $600,000 will be the Champions' Invitational prize money, while

$1,478,000 is estimated as players' per diem. A total of men's and women's singles
prize money ($36,324,000) will account for more than 78% of total player
compensation, while doubles ($5,463,000) and mixed doubles ($500,000) � for 12% and
1%, respectively.[36]

The US Open has made a five-year agreement to increase the total prize money to
$50,400,000 by 2017. As a result, the total base prize money for the 2013
tournament was increased to $33.6 million, a record $8.1 million increase from
2012. The champions of the 2013 US Open Series will also have the opportunity to
add $2.6 million in bonus prize money, potentially bringing the total 2013 US Open
purse to more than $36 million.[38] In 2014 the total base prize money was $38.3
million.[39] In 2015 the prize money was raised to $42.3 million.[40]

The growth in prize money awarded to the participants has far outpaced inflation
over the past forty years. For example, the singles champions in 1973 earned
$25,000, which, in 2015 dollars, would equal approximately $133,000. However, in
2015, the singles champions each earned $3.3 million. In other words, in real
dollars, today's champions are paid approximately twenty-five times more than
champions were in 1973.Stadium, leaving about a third of the Bowl available to
become another venue.[citation needed]

In 2011, Court 17 was opened as a fourth show court, with large television screens
and electronic line calling which allows player challenges. Sunken into the ground,
it has been nicknamed "The Pit". It holds 3,000 fans since its full completion in
2012. It is located in the southeast corner of the grounds.[24] Sidecourts 4, 7,
and 11 each have a seating capacity of over 1,000.

All the courts used by the US Open are illuminated, allowing television coverage of
the tournament to extend into primetime. In 2001, the Women's Finals was moved to
primetime; CBS Sports president Sean McManus cited significant interest credited to
star players Serena Williams and Venus Williams, and the ratings performance of the
1999 Women's final, which was pushed into primetime due to a rain delay.[18]

Surface
Since 1978 the US Open has been played on a hard court surface called Pro DecoTurf.
It is a multi-layer cushioned surface and classified by the ITF as medium-fast
(category 4), having slightly less friction and producing a lower bounce compared
to other hard courts.[25][26] Each year, before the start of the tournament, the
courts are resurfaced.[27]

In 2005, all US Open and US Open Series tennis courts were given blue courts inside
the lines to make it easier to see the ball on television (as well as for fans in
the stands).[28] The outer portion remains green.[29]

Player line call challenges

In 2006, the US Open introduced instant replay reviews of calls, using the Hawk-Eye
computer system, the first Grand Slam to use the system. According to many experts,
the system was implemented due to a controversial quarterfinal match at the 2004 US
Open between Serena Williams and Jennifer Capriati, where important line calls went
against Williams.[30] Instant replay was initially available only on the stadium
courts (Ashe and Armstrong), until 2009 when it became available on the Grandstand
as well. In 2007, JP Morgan Chase renewed its sponsorship of the US Open and, as
part of the arrangement, the replay system was renamed to "Chase Review" on in-
stadium video and television.[31]