The 2023 U.S. Open is going to feel a little different without tennis legend Serena Williams twirling around the courts of Flushing Meadows, N.Y. at the end of August.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion retired after falling in the third round of the U.S. Open last year in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium.
For years, Williams was the face of not only tennis – but all sports– and her legacy will live on for the unforeseeable future.
Since making her debut at the Open in 1998 and then proceeding to win six U.S. Open singles titles, Williams only skipped the tournament four times– one of those was during her pregnancy with daughter Olympia (2017).
With a Serena-less U.S. Open right around the corner (for good this time), let’s take a look back at what the tournament looked like the year she made her debut:
The prize money has more than tripled
The winner of the 1998 U.S. Open took home $700,000. To compare, the 2022 U.S. Open champion received $2.6 million.
Tennis
Men and women were compensated evenly then as they are now. As a matter of fact, this year's U.S. Open marks 50 years of equal prize money thanks to the efforts of Billie Jean King over the years.
Lindsay Davenport and Pete Sampras were world No. 1’s
Recognize these names? Lindsay Davenport and Pete Sampras were legends of the 90s and early 2000s.
Davenport won her only U.S. Open title in 1998 after defeating Martina Hingis in the final. Davenport did not drop a set en route to the championship. The now-47-year-old finished her career with three total singles Slams.
Sampras, on the other hand, did not win the U.S. Open that year but he did capture Wimbledon a couple of months earlier. The now-51-year-old went on to win 15 Grand Slam singles titles during his time on tour.
Restaurant Associates was the main U.S. Open food hub
But that’s not the shocking part. A slice of pizza was $4.50 while a burger was $6.75.
Talk about cheap.
If you make your way to the food village at the U.S. Open, there are a plethora of meal options between tacos, burgers, Indian food, sushi and beyond. But the price tag will not be the same as in the 1990s. It will be about three times as much.
Arthur Ashe Stadium was a year old
Bring on the New York crowds!
The iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium was built and made its debut at the U.S. Open in 1997.
The historic site at the northern end of the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park took over Louis Armstrong Stadium as the main tennis arena in the park. It also became the headquarters of the National Tennis Center.
The stadium fits 23,771 people, making it the largest tennis stadium in the world. The max capacity at Louis Armstrong is 14,053.
Night session Arthur Ashe Stadium tennis was more affordable
There is no better time to catch tennis action than at Arthur Ashe Stadium night session.
From legendary tennis to an electric atmosphere, it is one of a kind – and expensive. But not in 1998.
According to a 1998 U.S. Open ticket from eBay, it cost only $25 to attend the first Monday Arthur Ashe Stadium night session matches. In 2023, the cheapest ticket during those primetime hours is $61.
Serena Williams was not a singles champion
The then-16-year-old had made it to the third round of the U.S. Open before falling to Irena Spirlea in three sets. Williams, however, did win mixed doubles that year with partner Max Miryni.
It only took one year for Williams to regroup and come back to win her first-ever Grand Slam at the U.S. Open at the age of 17 years and 250 days -- making her one of the youngest female players to win a Major.
