Top-ranked American Mardy Fish clinched the U.S. Open Series men’s title with a 7-5, 7-5, Round of 16 win over Richard Gasquet at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati on Thursday. It marks the first USO Series title for Fish, who finished third in the standings last year. The men’s second and third place finishers in this year’s bonus challenge have yet to be determined.
Fish, who won the Atlanta Tennis Championships and reached the final at the Farmers Classic in L.A., will now compete for the largest payout in tennis history at the U.S. Open — $2.8 million ($1.8 million for winning the U.S. Open and a $1 million bonus for winning the USO Series).
Andy Murray won the 2010 U.S. Open Series title. In 2007, Roger Federer collected the biggest paycheck in tennis history — $2.4 million — for winning the U.S. Open and U.S Open Series. In 2005, Kim Clijsters also doubles up, winning $2.2 million — the largest purse in women’s sports history — and again equaled that amount in 2010, winning the U.S. Open and finishing second in the U.S. Open Series.
