US Open Series

Series of tennis tournaments

US Open Series logo.

The US Open Series is the name given by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) to a series of North American professional tennis tournaments leading up to and including the US Open. It is part of the "North American hard court season". Emirates sponsored the series in the past, under a deal in place from 2012 to 2016.[1] The series was initially organized in 2004 as a way to focus more attention on American tennis tournaments by getting more of them on domestic television.[2] Until 2004, most summer North American tournaments were not on television, the exceptions being the prominent ATP Tour Masters 1000 events in Canada and Cincinnati. Since the inception of the series, Rafael Nadal is the only tennis player to win Canada, Cincinnati, and the US Open in a calendar year (2013), a feat referred to as the "Summer Slam" or the "North American Hardcourt Slam".[3][4]

Under the US Open's broadcast rights, ESPN held domestic rights to all US Open Series events from 2015 to 2019. The eight non-Masters tournaments receive about 50 hours of television combined – about two hours on each day of their final weekends, chiefly on ESPN2. The dual-gender Washington D.C. Citi Open (the only ATP 500-level tournament in North America), which had been a part of the series since its 2004 founding, withdrew from the series for its 2015 edition due to frustrations over this lack of coverage; that tournament sold its exclusive coverage to Tennis Channel.[5][6] The tournament re-joined the US Open Series in 2019.[7] Since 2017, Tennis Channel broadcasts the US Open Series.

Bonus Challenge

Players earn points for the US Open Series Bonus Challenge in order to win a bonus on top of the individual series tournaments' prize money, according to their results in these events. More points are awarded at some of the events, such as the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and WTA Premier 5 events.[8] The three male and three female players with the most points in the US Open Series Bonus Challenge earn a money purse. The amount depends on their US Open Series placement and US Open result. If both are won then the bonus is $1 million as of 2010. Lleyton Hewitt and Lindsay Davenport were the top point-getters in 2004, Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters won in 2005, and Andy Roddick and Ana Ivanovic won in 2006. Defending US Open champions Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova won in 2007. In 2005, whereas Roddick was upset in the first round against Gilles Müller at the Open, Clijsters became the first player to win both the US Open Series and the US Open, receiving $2.2 million, at the time the largest payday in women's sports. Clijsters defeated Frenchwoman Mary Pierce in straight sets: 6–3, 6–1.[9] In 2010 she won $2.2 million again, this time $1.7 million for the US Open title and $500,000 in bonus for second place in the US Open Series.[10] In 2007, Federer became the first male player and the second player overall to win the US Open Series and go on to win the US Open, winning $1.4 million plus the US Open Series bonus of $1 million, bringing his prize winning total to $2.4 million.[11] This topped Clijsters' $2.2 million as the biggest US Open payday to date. In 2013, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal both won the US Open after also winning the US Open Series. Due to several considerable prize money increments over the years, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal surpassed Roger Federer's Us Open series payday record by winning $3.6 million each, and they shared the record for the largest prize money paycheck in tennis history for a single tennis tournament.[12][13] In 2014, Serena Williams would repeat her previous year performance in winning both the US Open Series and the US Open. She now stands alone in the record for the biggest payday in tennis history, with a total amount of $4 million.[14] Starting from 2017, the US Open Series will not feature a Bonus Challenge.[15][16]

Series tournaments

Tournaments

Legend
Grand Slam
ATP Tour Masters 1000 and WTA 1000
ATP Tour 500 & 250 and WTA 500 & 250

In 2023, the US Open Series comprises the following tournaments:[17]

Week Men's events Women's events
1
(Week of July 23)
Newport
Hall of Fame Open
2
(Week of July 30)
Atlanta
Atlanta Open
3
(Week of August 6)
Washington, D.C.
Mubadula Citi Open
4
(Week of August 13)
Montreal/Toronto
National Bank Open presented by Rogers
5
(Week of August 20)
Cincinnati
Western & Southern Open
6
(Week of August 27)
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem Open
Cleveland
Tennis in the Land
7–8
(Weeks of September 3 / September 10)
New York
US Open

Points distribution

2008–2016

Round ATP Masters 1000
WTA Premier 5
ATP World Tour 500 & 250
WTA Premier
Winner
100
70
Finalist
70
45
Semifinalist
45
25
Quarterfinalist
25
15
Round of 16
15
0

2006–2007

[18]

Round ATP Masters Series
WTA Tour Tier I
ATP International Series
WTA Tour Tier II
Winner
100
50
Finalist
70
35
Semifinalist
45
22
Quarterfinalist
25
12
Round of 16
15
0

2004–2005

[19]

Round ATP Masters Series
WTA Tour Tier I
WTA Tour Tier II ATP International Series
($600,000 and above)
ATP International Series
(below $600,000)
Winner
100
50
40
35
Finalist
70
35
28
24
Semifinalist
45
22
18
15
Quarterfinalist
25
12
10
8
Round of 16
15
0
0
0

Past tournament winners

Men

Year Newport Los Angeles Indianapolis/Atlanta Washington Montreal/Toronto Cincinnati New Haven/Winston-Salem
2004 Not US Open Series Germany Haas (1/2) United States Roddick (1/5) Australia Hewitt (1/2) Switzerland Federer (1/9) United States Agassi (1/2) Australia Hewitt (2/2)
2005 United States Agassi (2/2) United States Ginepri (1/2) United States Roddick (2/5) Spain Nadal (1/6) Switzerland Federer (2/9) United States Blake (1/3)
2006 Germany Haas (2/2) United States Blake (2/3) France Clément (1/1) Switzerland Federer (3/9) United States Roddick (3/5) Russia Davydenko (1/1)
2007 Czech Republic Štěpánek (1/2) Russia Tursunov (1/1) United States Roddick (4/5) Serbia Djokovic (1/6) Switzerland Federer (4/9) United States Blake (3/3)
2008 Argentina Del Potro (1/4) France Simon (1/1) Argentina Del Potro (2/4) Spain Nadal (2/6) United Kingdom Murray (1/5) Croatia Čilić (1/2)
2009 United States Querrey (1/3) United States Ginepri (2/2) Argentina Del Potro (3/4) United Kingdom Murray (2/5) Switzerland Federer (5/9) Spain Verdasco (1/1)
2010 United States Querrey (2/3) United States Fish (1/2) Argentina Nalbandian (1/1) United Kingdom Murray (3/5) Switzerland Federer (6/9) Ukraine Stakhovsky (1/1)
2011 Latvia Gulbis (1/1) United States Fish (2/2) Czech Republic Štěpánek (2/2) Serbia Djokovic (2/6) United Kingdom Murray (4/5) United States Isner (1/8)
2012 United States Querrey (3/3) United States Roddick (5/5) Ukraine Dolgopolov (1/1) Serbia Djokovic (3/6) Switzerland Federer (7/9) United States Isner (2/8)
2013 Not held United States Isner (3/8) Argentina Del Potro (4/4) Spain Nadal (3/6) Spain Nadal (4/6) Austria Melzer (1/1)
2014 United States Isner (4/8) Canada Raonic (1/1) France Tsonga (1/1) Switzerland Federer (8/9) Czech Republic Rosol (1/1)
2015 United States Isner (5/8) Not US Open Series United Kingdom Murray (5/5) Switzerland Federer (9/9) South Africa Anderson (1/2)
2016 Australia Kyrgios (1/2) Serbia Djokovic (4/6) Croatia Čilić (2/2) Spain Carreño Busta (1/1)
2017 United States Isner (6/8) Germany Zverev (1/2) Bulgaria Dimitrov (1/1) Spain Bautista Agut (1/1)
2018 United States Isner (7/8) Spain Nadal (5/6) Serbia Djokovic (5/6) Russia Medvedev (1/3)
2019 Australia de Minaur (1/1) Australia Kyrgios (2/2) Spain Nadal (6/6) Russia Medvedev (2/3) Poland Hurkacz (1/1)
2020 Cancelled Cancelled Cancelled Cancelled Serbia Djokovic (6/6) Cancelled
2021 South Africa Anderson (2/2) United States Isner (8/8) Italy Sinner (1/1) Russia Medvedev (3/3) Germany Zverev (2/2) Belarus Ivashka (1/1)

Women

Year Stanford/San José San Diego/Carlsbad Los Angeles/Washington Cincinnati Montreal/Toronto New Haven Cleveland
2004 United States Davenport (1/4) United States Davenport (2/4) United States Davenport (3/4) Not US Open Series France Mauresmo (1/1) Russia Bovina (1/1) Not held
2005 Belgium Clijsters (1/5) France Pierce (1/1) Belgium Clijsters (2/5) Belgium Clijsters (3/5) United States Davenport (4/4)
2006 Belgium Clijsters (4/5) Russia Sharapova (1/3) Russia Dementieva (1/2) Serbia Ivanovic (1/2) Belgium Henin (1/2)
2007 Russia Chakvetadze (1/1) Russia Sharapova (2/3) Serbia Ivanovic (2/2) Belgium Henin (2/2) Russia Kuznetsova (1/2)
2008 Canada Wozniak (1/1) Not held Russia Safina (1/2) Russia Safina (2/2) Denmark Wozniacki (1/5)
2009 France Bartoli (1/1) Italy Pennetta (1/1) Serbia Janković (1/1) Russia Dementieva (2/2) Denmark Wozniacki (2/5)
2010 Belarus Azarenka (1/3) Russia Kuznetsova (2/2) Not held Belgium Clijsters (5/5) Denmark Wozniacki (3/5) Denmark Wozniacki (4/5)
2011 United States S. Williams (1/7) Poland Radwańska (1/3) Russia Sharapova (3/3) United States S. Williams (2/7) Denmark Wozniacki (5/5)
2012 United States S. Williams (3/7) Slovakia Cibulková (1/2) Slovakia Rybáriková (1/1) China Li (1/1) Czech Republic Kvitová (1/4) Czech Republic Kvitová (2/4)
2013 Slovakia Cibulková (2/2) Australia Stosur (1/1) Not US Open Series Belarus Azarenka (2/3) United States S. Williams (4/7) Romania Halep (1/3)
2014 United States S. Williams (5/7) Not held United States S. Williams (6/7) Poland Radwańska (2/3) Czech Republic Kvitová (3/4)
2015 Germany Kerber (1/1) Not US Open Series United States S. Williams (7/7) Switzerland Bencic (1/1) Czech Republic Kvitová (4/4)
2016 United Kingdom Konta (1/1) Not held Czech Republic Ka. Plíšková (1/1) Romania Halep (2/3) Poland Radwańska (3/3)
2017 United States Keys (1/2) Spain Muguruza (1/1) Ukraine Svitolina (1/1) Australia Gavrilova (1/1)
2018 Romania Buzărnescu (1/1) Netherlands Bertens (1/1) Romania Halep (3/3) Belarus Sabalenka (1/1)
2019 China Zheng (1/1) United States Keys (2/2) Canada Andreescu (1/1) Not held
2020 Cancelled Belarus Azarenka (3/3) Cancelled
2021 United States Collins (1/1) Australia Barty (1/1) Italy Giorgi (1/1) Estonia Kontaveit (1/1)

Series standings + performance at the US Open

Note: From 2006 on, only players who earned points in at least two US Open Series events are eligible for the final (Top 3) standings.

US Open results
A did not participate in the tournament #R lost in the early rounds of the tournament
QF advanced to but not past the quarterfinals SF advanced to but not past the semifinals
F advanced to the finals, tournament runner-up W won the tournament
Year Player (ATP Tour) Points US Open Player (WTA Tour) Points US Open
2004 1. Australia Lleyton Hewitt1 155 F 1. United States Lindsay Davenport1 100 SF
2. United States Andy Roddick 155 QF 2. France Amélie Mauresmo 100 QF
3. United States Andre Agassi 123 QF 3. Russia Elena Likhovtseva 85 1R
2005 1. United States Andy Roddick 120 1R 1. Belgium Kim Clijsters 225 W
2. United States Andre Agassi 105 F 2. France Mary Pierce 100 F
3. Spain Rafael Nadal2 100 3R 3. France Amélie Mauresmo 80 QF
2006 1. United States Andy Roddick 147 F 1. Serbia Ana Ivanovic 127 3R
2. Chile Fernando González 124 3R 2. Russia Maria Sharapova 122 W
3. United Kingdom Andy Murray 105 4R 3. Belgium Kim Clijsters 120 A
2007 1. Switzerland Roger Federer 170 W 1. Russia Maria Sharapova 122 3R
2. United States James Blake 167 4R 2. Serbia Jelena Janković 107 QF
3. United States Andy Roddick 112 QF 3. Switzerland Patty Schnyder3 97 3R
2008 1. Spain Rafael Nadal4 145 SF 1. Russia Dinara Safina 170 SF
2. United Kingdom Andy Murray 145 F 2. France Marion Bartoli 90 4R
3. Argentina Juan Martín del Potro 140 QF 3. Slovakia Dominika Cibulková 85 3R
2009 1. United States Sam Querrey 175 3R 1. Russia Elena Dementieva 170 2R
2. United Kingdom Andy Murray 145 4R 2. Italy Flavia Pennetta5 140 QF
3. Argentina Juan Martín del Potro 140 W 3. Serbia Jelena Janković 140 2R
2010 1. United Kingdom Andy Murray6 170 3R 1. Denmark Caroline Wozniacki 185 SF
2. Switzerland Roger Federer 170 SF 2. Belgium Kim Clijsters 125 W
3. United States Mardy Fish 140 4R 3. Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova7 115 4R
2011 1. United States Mardy Fish 230 4R 1. United States Serena Williams 170 F
2. Serbia Novak Djokovic 170 W 2. Poland Agnieszka Radwańska8 130 2R
3. United States John Isner 140 QF 3. Russia Maria Sharapova 130 3R
2012 1. Serbia Novak Djokovic 170 F 1. Czech Republic Petra Kvitová 215 4R
2. United States John Isner 140 3R 2. China Li Na 170 3R
3. United States Sam Querrey 135 3R 3. Slovakia Dominika Cibulková 100 3R
2013 1. Spain Rafael Nadal 200 W 1. United States Serena Williams 170 W
2. United States John Isner 185 3R 2. Belarus Victoria Azarenka 145 F
3. Argentina Juan Martín del Potro 130 2R 3. Poland Agnieszka Radwańska 130 4R
2014 1. Canada Milos Raonic9 280 4R 1. United States Serena Williams9 430 W
2. United States John Isner9 200 3R 2. Germany Angelique Kerber9 150 3R
3. Switzerland Roger Federer 170 SF 3. Poland Agnieszka Radwańska 125 2R
2015 1. United Kingdom Andy Murray 145 4R 1. Czech Republic Karolína Plíšková9 150 1R
2. Serbia Novak Djokovic 140 W 2. United States Serena Williams 145 SF
3. United States John Isner 95 4R 3. Romania Simona Halep 140 SF
2016 1. Japan Kei Nishikori 85 SF 1. Poland Agnieszka Radwańska9 220 4R
2. Bulgaria Grigor Dimitrov10 70 4R 2. United Kingdom Johanna Konta9 170 4R
3. Canada Milos Raonic 70 2R 3. Romania Simona Halep 145 QF
2017 Bonus challenge not held
  • 1 – Hewitt and Davenport finished first in 2004 final standings based on more match wins in US Open Series events.
  • 2 – Nadal finished third in 2005 (over Roger Federer) based on more set wins in US Open Series events.
  • 3 – Schnyder was placed third in 2007 because Justine Henin (who had more points – 100 for winning Toronto) only played one tournament and was therefore not eligible for the top three positions.
  • 4 – Nadal won the 2008 series ahead of Murray because Nadal defeated Murray in Toronto, Canada.
  • 5 – Pennetta finished second in the 2009 final standings based on more match wins in US Open Series events.
  • 6 – Murray won the 2010 series ahead of Federer because Murray defeated Federer in Toronto.
  • 7 – Kuznetsova finished third in 2010 (over Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova) based on more games won in US Open Series events (all three won 9 matches and 19 sets).
  • 8 – Radwańska finished second in the 2011 final standings based on more match wins in US Open Series events.
  • 9 – Players who had their point totals doubled due to having obtained points in at least three different events, based on a rule enforced from 2014 on.
  • 10 – Dimitrov finished second in the 2016 final standings based on more match wins in US Open Series events.

Records

Players who won both the US Open Series and the US Open in the same year, receiving $1 million bonus prize money
Men: Roger Federer (2007) & Rafael Nadal (2013).
Women: Kim Clijsters (2005*) & Serena Williams (2013, 2014).
* - Clijsters received the Champion's prize money, $1.1M, plus a bonus equaling the prize money, $1.1M, for a total of $2.2M.
Most points won
Without doubling bonus for three countable tournaments (until 2013):
Men: Mardy Fish, 230 points in 2011.
Women: Kim Clijsters, 225 points in 2005.
With doubling bonus for three countable tournaments (since 2014):
Men: Milos Raonic, 280 points in 2014.
Women: Serena Williams, 430 points in 2014.
Most US Open Series overall victories
Men: 2, Andy Roddick (2005, 2006); Rafael Nadal (2008, 2013); Andy Murray (2010, 2015).
Women: 3, Serena Williams (2011, 2013, 2014).
Most US Open Series Top-3 finishes
Men: 5, Andy Murray (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015) & John Isner (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015).
Women: 4, Serena Williams (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015) & Agnieszka Radwańska (2011, 2013, 2014, 2016).
Most US Open Series tournament victories
Men: 9, Roger Federer
Women: 7, Serena Williams
Biggest payout in the series (which were the largest in tennis history until Ashleigh Barty won US$4.42 at the WTA Finals in 2019[20])
Serena Williams (2014) – $4 million (won US Open Series and US Open).
Biggest payout in men's: Novak Djokovic (2015) – $3.8 million (US Open Series runner-up and US Open winner).
Most successful nation in the US Open Series
Overall: United States, 38 tournament victories (Men: 24 & Women: 14).
Men: United States, 24 tournament victories.
Women: United States, 14 tournament victories.

References

  1. ^ "Press Release | Emirates Airline US Open Series". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  2. ^ Clarke, Liz (April 20, 2004). "USTA Moves to Promote Tennis; U.S. Open Series Aims To Please Players, Fans". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  3. ^ "With Acapulco triumph Rafael Nadal has won at least 3 consecutive titles in 9 seasons, moving further ahead of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic". sportskeeda.
  4. ^ "5 Rafael Nadal records you probably don't know of". sportskeeda.
  5. ^ Rothenberg, Ben. "Why DC's Citi Open separated from U.S. Open Series". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  6. ^ "DC's Citi Open Bumped Out Of U.S. Open Series Due To TV Deal With Tennis Channel". Sports Business Daily. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  7. ^ "Citi Open returns to US Open Series for 2019". US Open Series. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  8. ^ "Bonus Challenge". US Open Series. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  9. ^ Kreda, Allan (September 10, 2005). "Clijsters Wins U.S. Open; Federer, Agassi Make Final". Bloomberg. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  10. ^ "Clijsters Wins Second Consecutive U.S. Open Title". Long Island Tennis Magazine. September 13, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  11. ^ "Federer tames Djokovic to clinch US Open crown". ABC News. September 10, 2007. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  12. ^ "Bonus Challenge – Emirates Airline US Open Series". Emirates Airline US Open Series.
  13. ^ "US Open 2013: Taxman cometh for champions". ZeeNews India. September 10, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  14. ^ "Serena sweeps aside Wozniacki for third straight US Open". US Open Official Site - A USTA Event.
  15. ^ @usopen (July 18, 2017). "We will not have #USOpenSeries bonus money this year" (Tweet). Retrieved July 28, 2017 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ Tandon, Kamakshi (February 7, 2017). "Emirates drops US Open Series Sponsorship; adds US Open involvement". tennis.com.
  17. ^ US Open Series Tournaments
  18. ^ "US Open Series - Bonus Challenge". US Tennis Association. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  19. ^ "2005 US Open Series Bonus Points System" (PDF). US Tennis Association. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  20. ^ "'It's been a year that just hasn't stopped' - Barty dethrones Svitolina to capture WTA Finals crown".

External links

  • US Open Series official website
  • v
  • t
  • e
US Open Series seasons
  • v
  • t
  • e
US Open Series tournaments
ATP Tour
  • Newport (2021–present)
  • Atlanta/Indianapolis
  • Los Angeles (2004–2012)
  • Washington, D.C. (2004–2014, 2019–present)
  • Toronto / Montreal
  • Cincinnati
  • New Haven (2005–2010)
  • Winston-Salem (2011–present)
  • New York
WTA Tour