U.S. Open ends long-running size disparity for women's replica trophies

For decades, U.S. Open women's singles champions were handed a much smaller replica of the tournament's silver cup than the replicas given to the men's winners. That practice changed beginning with the 2023 champion, when the women’s replica handed to the winner matched the larger size traditionally associated with the men's prize.

The size discrepancy was spotlighted this year after Coco Gauff, who won the French Open and the 2023 U.S. Open, posted a TikTok showing how much tinier the Roland-Garros replica she took home was compared with the trophy she had posed with on court at Roland-Garros. Her video drew more than 2 million views and renewed attention to how tournaments handle their trophies.

“I honestly did not know the size it was going to be. ... I know you never really take the original, but when I won the U.S. Open, they gave me the same size (trophy), with my name engraved on it,” Gauff told The Associated Press. “So I just assumed that Roland Garros would be the same.”

The replica presented to the U.S. Open women's singles winner beginning in 2023 measures 19½ inches tall, in line with the larger silver cup associated with the tournament. Historically, the cup displayed during the on-court presentation and the small keepsake replicas that champions were allowed to take home were not the same size for men and women, a difference that went largely unremarked upon until recent social-media scrutiny.

Winners at Grand Slam events and other major tournaments typically do not take home the event's original trophy; instead, they are presented with a replica that is engraved with the champion's name. Differences in the size and design of those replicas have varied by tournament and over time.

Gauff's video and subsequent discussion drew attention beyond social media, prompting conversation about symbolic parity in tennis. Advocates for equality say identical trophies are a visible sign of equal recognition, while tournament organizers have in recent years adjusted traditions or presentation details in response to player feedback and public reaction.

Tournament spokespeople and officials have not uniformly issued formal statements explaining the historical size differences across events. At the U.S. Open, the change to provide women’s champions with a replica matching the larger cup used in ceremonies was implemented in 2023 and has continued since.

Players, fans and commentators have pointed to the trophy issue as one of several traditions in sports that can carry symbolic weight. The discussion follows other moves across tennis — from prize money equalization at Grand Slams to adjustments in scheduling and facilities — intended to address gender disparities.

Coco Gauff, who has emerged as one of the sport's most prominent young players, used social media to highlight what she described as an unexpected discrepancy between on-court presentation and the keepsake she received. Her post underscored how digital platforms can amplify details of tournament practices and prompt reassessment.

In the months since Gauff's video circulated, there has been increased scrutiny of how trophies are produced, presented and distributed at major events. For now, the U.S. Open joins other tournaments that have moved to present women’s champions with replicas equal in stature to those handed to men, ensuring the physical mementos reflect the parity many players and observers expect.

The change at the U.S. Open marks a tangible update to a long-standing aspect of the tournament's presentation rituals. Players who win the title will now depart with a replica that matches the scale of the cup they lifted on court, and that bears their name as a permanent record of the achievement.