News

Reigning US Open champion Kim Clijsters defeated Maria Sharapova in the final of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open in Cincinnati, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-2, to win her fifth career Olympus US Open Series tournament title (and first since 2006). Clijsters, who previously captured both the US Open and the Olympus US Open Series in 2005, winning $2.2 million – the largest purse in women’s sports history – earns 100 total points, and jumps into second place behind Sharapova in the Olympus US Open Series Bonus Challenge Standings with two weeks left in the season.

Andy Murray, advancing to his second Olympus US Open Series tournament final of the season, defeated Roger Federer, 7-5, 7-5, at the Rogers Masters in Toronto. On Saturday, Murray defeated world No. 1 Rafael Nadal to reach the final. With his third career Olympus US Open Series tournament title, Murray earns 100 points and now owns a 50-point lead over David Nalbandian heading into the final two events.

The men’s and women’s winners of the Olympus US Open Series will compete for $1 million in bonus prize money at the 2010 US Open. The Olympus US Open Series Bonus Challenge men’s and women’s leaders after Week 4 are as follows:

Next on the Olympus US Open Series: The men will compete at the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati, while the women head to Montreal for the Rogers Cup. ESPN2 will provide more than 20 hours of coverage, including the women’s final on Sunday beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET, while CBS will telecast the men’s final on Sunday beginning at 12:00 noon ET. Tennis Channel will provide coverage beginning Tuesday. For a complete television schedule, visit usopenseries.com.

Now in its seventh 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. Fans can follow the action throughout the summer through national television coverage, culminating each week with back-to-back men’s and women’s finals every Sunday afternoon. Players battle for $40 million, including a chance for bonus prize money at 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, Grand Marnier and SPDR Gold Shares.

Sam Querrey won the 2009 Olympus US Open Series men’s title and Elena Dementieva 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.