Fiona Crawley's stay at the 2023 U.S. Open was short, but fruitful.
First, Crawley topped Réka Luca Jani of Hungary, Timea Babos of Hungary, and Kimberly Birrell of Australia in a qualifying tournament to reach the main draw. The 21-year-old North Carolina senior lost in the first round in both singles and doubles, but was awarded significant financial compensation just for making the tournament.
However, NCAA rules prevented her from accepting her award, forcing Crawley to give up $81,000 in earnings—a forfeiture that did not sit right with the Tar Heels star.