"The men should feel lucky to get equal prize money from the US Open"- Ladies' final 'out-guns' men's final in viewer numbers

Following the conclusion of the 2024 US Open, it was discovered that the viewership for the women's singles final was higher than that of the men's event. This prompted renowned tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg to highlight the discrepancy while taking a subtle jab at the male players.

The women's final saw Aryna Sabalenka take on American Jessica Pegula, with the Belarusian powering past her opponent to win her first US Open title. Alternatively, the men's final saw World No.1 Jannik Sinner dismantle home favorite Taylor Fritz, winning his second Grand Slam title of the season.

More people tuned in to watch the women's final than the men's

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Although both finals showcased some high quality tennis, the YouTube highlights indicated a considerable disparity in views. The women's final garnered 1.6 million views, whereas the men's could only draw about 688,000 views. This prompted journalist Rothenberg, who has been a vocal advocate for women's sports, to point out the significant difference with a tongue-in-cheek caption.

"The men should feel lucky to get equal prize money from #USOpen, tbh," wrote Rothenberg on Twitter.

This is in reference to both the male and female winner earning equal prize money, although Rothenberg seemed to suggest that the men should have earned less based on viewership. Nonetheless, the 2024 US Open final saw a significant decline in viewership compared to previous editions. The Sinner vs Fritz match drew 1.8 million live viewers across ABC and ESPN+, a 31% drop from last year. The women's final did not fare much better, with the Sabalenka vs Pegula match also averaging 1.9 million live viewers across ESPN and ESPN+, a 53% drop from last year's final.

Ben Rothenberg

@BenRothenberg

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The men should feel lucky to get equal prize money from #USOpen, tbh.

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