The following provides a summary of the 2011 US Open Series Bonus Challenge.
1. Bonus Prize Money: The US Open Series Bonus Challenge links the performance of the top three men’s and top three women’s finishers at Series events to their performance at the US Open. In 2011, the US Open Series Men’s and Women’s Champions will compete for up to an additional $1 million in Bonus Prize Money. Second place finishers will compete for up to $500,000 and third place finishers will play for up to $250,000.* Bonuses are based on US Open performance in the singles competition only. The complete breakdown of Bonus Prize Money payouts is detailed in the following chart:
*The USTA reserves the right to withhold any bonus prize money payment from a player who does not make himself/herself available for the Olympus US Open Series advertising campaign and/or other reasonable promotional activities as requested by the USTA.
2. US Open Series Bonus Points: The following is the system by which the top three finishers (men’s and women’s) will be determined.
a. Players will earn Bonus Points as follows (for the singles competitions only): At each ATP Masters 1000 and WTA Premier 5 event in the US Open Series, the winner will earn 100 Points, the finalist will earn 70 Points, the semifinalists will earn 45 Points, the quarterfinalists will earn 25 Points and the round-of-16 will earn 15 Points; at each ATP 500/250 and WTA Premier event, the winner will earn 70 Points, the finalist will earn 45 Points, the semifinalists will earn 25 Points and the quarterfinalists will earn 15 Points. The following chart (on page 2) illustrates the 2011 US Open Series Bonus Challenge points distribution.
b. At ATP Masters 1000 and WTA Premier 5 events, Bonus Points will be awarded through the round-of-16 (16 players). At ATP 500/250 and WTA Tour Premier events, Bonus Points will be awarded through the quarterfinals (8 players). Players will not receive Bonus Points simply by entering US Open Series events.
c. A player will only earn Bonus Points in the final round of the tournament(s) to which he/she advances (provided he/she advances to a round in which Bonus Points are awarded).
d. Player standings will be calculated and announced following each US Open Series event.
e. In order to qualify for Bonus Prize Money, a player must play and earn points in at least two (2) US Open Series events.
3. Tie-Break Procedures: The following tie-break procedures will be used in the event of any tie(s) for the first, second and/or third place finishers.
In the event of a 2-way tie (for either first place and second place, or second place and third place, or third place and fourth place), then a-e below shall be applied, in order, until the tie is broken:
a. Head-to-head record in US Open Series matches (in the current year)
b. Greatest number of US Open Series matches won (in the current year)
c. Greatest number of US Open Series sets won (in the current year)
d. Greatest number of US Open Series games won (in the current year)
e. If a tie still exists after applying the above, the tie shall be broken by a coin toss
In the event of a 3-way tie, then b-e above shall be applied, in order, until the tie is broken and the first place finisher is determined. The remaining 2-way tie shall be broken by applying a-e above, in order, until the tie is broken.
In the event of a 4-way (or greater) tie, then b-e above shall be applied, in order, until the tie is broken and the first place finisher is determined. The remaining tie shall be broken by applying b-e above, in order, until the second place and third place finishers are determined, however, if at any time the remaining tie is a 2-way tie, the tie shall be broken by applying a-e above, in order, until the tie is broken (for example, if following determination of the first place and second place finishers, a 2-way tie exists for third place, the tie shall be broken by applying a-e above).