The 2009 US Open Prize Purse - Beyond the Trophy and Grand Slam glory

Flushing Meadow, New York – I hope that the tennis betting faithful are enjoying all the tennis betting free picks, analysis and opinions I, and my peers Eric Williams and Charles Jay, have put forward over the course of the tournament. Speaking for us all (if I may) we have enjoyed it immensely. And there is still more to come, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, let us take a short departure from predicting the money plays at the 2009 US Open and talk about the treasures in store for the players. What do they stand to gain besides the trophy and a slice of Grand Slam glory? To put a finer point on it: What is the prize purse?

This year the US Open website announced its prize purse will top $21.6 million, marking the third consecutive year that the tournament's prize money has increased by $1 million.

In addition to the base purse of $21.6 million, the top three men's and top three women's finishers in the Olympus US Open Series may earn up to an additional $2.6 million in bonus prize money at the US Open, providing a potential total payout of $24.2 million.

The US Open has been paying equal money (men and women) since forever and that trend continues naturally. The player to be crowned King and Queen by week’s end will receive a record $1.6 million with the ability to earn an additional $1 million in bonus prize money (for a total $2.6 million potential payout) based on their performances in the Olympus US Open Series. In addition, both US Open singles champions will receive a new 2010 Lexus IS Convertible.

The Olympus US Open Series Bonus Challenge that rewards the top three men's and top three women's finishers each year with bonus prize money has resulted in the largest winnings in tennis history. In 2007, Roger Federer took home the trophy and $2.4 million in change. Meanwhile, Kim Clijsters to date has claimed the biggest pay check in the women’s game when she won $2.2 million in 2005.

The breakdown of pay through the rounds is as follows:

Winners – $ 1,600,000

Runners-Up – 800,000

Semi-finalists – 350,000

Quarterfinalists – 175,000

Round of 16 – 85,000

Round of 32 – 48,000

Round of 64 – 31,000

Round of 128 - 19,000