Elena Rybakina's victory at the 2026 US Open earned her a record prize payout, but a substantial share of that sum could go to US taxes. The Kazakh tennis player took home $5.5 million for winning the women's singles title — more than the $5 million Aryna Sabalenka received last year, according to infohub.kz.
The total prize pool at the 2026 US Open came to $108 million — the first time in Grand Slam history it has topped the $100 million mark.
As sports.yahoo.com reports, the record payout does not mean the player keeps the entire amount: a significant portion will have to be paid in US taxes.
"Because the US Open is held in New York, the player's income is subject to US federal taxes and New York State tax. The calculation cited uses the top federal rate of 37% for high incomes and a New York State rate of about 9.65%. By that estimate, the federal tax would come to roughly $2.03 million, while the state tax would exceed $530,000. In total, tax payments could amount to about $2.5 million. Kazakhstan also taxes income, but taxes paid in the United States may be credited when calculating liabilities in Kazakhstan, avoiding double taxation within the applicable rules," the report says.
That means that out of the record $5.5 million, Rybakina could be left with about $2.9 million after the estimated taxes are paid.
The final figure may differ depending on the player's tax status and professional expenses that may be taken into account in the final calculation.
We previously reported that it had become known how much Kazakhstan's top-ranked player, Elena Rybakina, earned for her performance at the 2026 US Open.