Nadal Clinches 2013 Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series

Rafael Nadal has clinched the 2013 Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series men’s title when John Isner officially withdrew from the Winston-Salem Open in Winston-Salem, N.C., due to a hip injury. Isner was the only player who could have overtaken Nadal in the Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series standings. Nadal will now compete for the largest payout in tennis history at the 2013 U.S. Open—$3.6 million ($2.6 million for winning the U.S. Open and a $1 million bonus for winning the U.S. Open as Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series champion).

Nadal totaled 200 points on this year’s Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series, capturing singles titles at both the Rogers Cup in Montreal and at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, where he narrowly defeated Isner in the final, 7-6(8), 7-6(3). Nadal, the 2010 U.S. Open champion, also won the Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series in 2008—taking home $250,000 in bonus prize money for reaching the semifinals at that year’s U.S. Open–and joins Andy Roddick (2005-06) as the only players to win two Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series titles in the Series’ 10-year history.

Isner, with 185 points, finishes second in the Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series for the second straight year, and will play for a chance at $500,000 bonus prize money at the U.S. Open. Juan Martin del Potro finishes third, and can win up to $250,000 in bonus prize money at the U.S. Open.

Serena Williams clinched the 2013 Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series women’s title on Saturday by defeating China’s Li Na in the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open. Serena will also compete for a record $3.6 million payout at the U.S. Open, which includes $1 million in potential bonus prize money as Series champion. The second and third place finishers on the men’s and women’s sides will compete for $500,000 and $250,000 bonus prize money, respectively. The women’s second and third place finishers have yet to be determined.

The Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series Bonus Challenge has resulted in some of the largest paychecks in tennis history for men ($2.4 million–Roger Federer, 2007) and women ($2.2 million–Kim Clijsters, 2005 and 2010).