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Querrey Clinches Olympus US Open Series Men's Title

Sam Querrey clinched the 2009 Olympus US Open Series men’s title today with a 7-5, 6-3 round of 16 win over Bjorn Phau at Pilot Pen Tennis, the final Series event of the season in New Haven. With the victory, Querrey ties Andy Murray in the Olympus US Open Bonus Challenge men’s standings, but officially wins the overall Series title by virtue of the tie-breaker (greatest number of 2009 Olympus US Open Series matches won in the current year). Juan Martin del Potro finishes the Series in third place.

Since the Olympus US Open Series began in 2004, every Series winner had been, or went on to be, No. 1 in the world rankings. Querrey will now compete for the largest payout in tennis history at the 2009 US Open — $2.6 million ($1.6 million for winning the US Open and a $1 million bonus for winning the US Open and the Olympus US Open Series).

On the women’s side, Elena Dementieva currently holds the lead in the Olympus US Open Series Bonus Challenge women’s standings. Flavia Pennetta can still capture the overall Series title — by winning the Pilot Pen Tennis event at New Haven — while Jelena Jankovic and Marion Bartoli could finish the Series in second or third place.

Querrey and the women’s winner of the Olympus US Open Series will compete for $1 million in bonus prize money at the 2009 US Open. The second and third place finishers will compete for $500,000 and $250,000, respectively.

Rafael Nadal won the 2008 Olympus US Open Series men’s title and Dinara Safina won the women’s title. In 2007, Roger Federer collected the biggest paycheck in tennis history — $2.4 million — for winning US Open and the Olympus US Open Series. In 2005, Kim Clijsters also captured both the US Open and the Olympus US Open Series, winning $2.2 million — the largest purse in women’s sports history.

Now in its sixth season, the Olympus US Open Series has established itself as a true regular season of hard court tennis, linking 10 summer tournaments to the US Open. In 2008, Olympus became the first title sponsor of the Series. The Olympus US Open Series is also supported by sponsors American Express, Evian and MassMutual Financial Group.

Posted on August 27, 2009
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