The US Open tennis tournament is moving the women’s final to Sunday and men’s final to Monday in 2013, building in a day of rest ahead of each title match for the first time.

The US Tennis Association, which runs the grand slam event played in New York, announced the changes on Friday – but only for next year.

A decision about 2014 and beyond will likely come after the 2013 tournament, USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier said.

Rain forced the USTA to postpone the men’s final from its scheduled Sunday slot to Monday each of the past five years.

Some top male players complained that the US Open was the sport’s only major tournament that put their semi-finals and final on consecutive days. The men’s semi-finals in New York will stay on Saturday under the new plan.

Friday’s moves end the tradition of what the US Open has called “Super Saturday” since 1984, with both men’s semi-finals and the women’s final all on that day’s schedule at Flushing Meadows, followed by the men’s final Sunday.

The USTA also announced that total prize money in 2013 will jump $US4 million ($A3.82 million) to a record $US29.5 million ($A28.15 million). The increase is the largest in tournament history, doubling the roughly $US2 million ($A1.91 million) hike from 2011 to 2012.

The USTA has not decided how the new money will be distributed.

“Both the prize money increase and the addition of a day of rest are great for the players,” four-time U.S. Open champion Serena Williams said in a statement issued via the USTA.

“These moves make the tournament stronger than it’s ever been for all players.”