Nadal has won the four previous meetings on tour and is 9-1 in sets. Their career earnings are just as lopsided: Anderson has earned $8.3 million in prize money over his career, while the world No. 1 has earned $86.2 million in prize money.
Today’s winner will collect a $3.7 million check, the most lucrative payout in tennis history. The runner-up will earn about half that amount: $1.83 million.
The payout is much, much higher than in 1968, the start of tennis’ professional era.
The first U.S. Open awarded a total of $100,000 in prize money. The men’s champion was slated to earn $14,000 of that, but because of his amateur status, Arthur Ashe brought home just $20 per diem.
At the 2017 U.S. Open, $50.4 million will be awarded in total, making it the richest tournament in tennis history.
Here’s how much the other singles competitors earned at this year’s Open:
Semifinal losers: $920,000
Quarterfinal losers: $470,000
Round of 16 losers: $253,625
Round of 32 losers: $144,000
Round of 64 losers: $86,000
Round of 128 losers: $50,000
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