The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, New York

The US Open base purse will jump one million dollars this year to 20.6 million dollars with up to 2.6 million dollars more in bonus money available, the US Tennis Association announced Tuesday.

US Open men's and women's singles champions will each receive 1.5 million dollars, a record, with the chance at up to one million dollars more in bonus money based upon performance in a series of US Open tune-up events.

Swiss world number one Roger Federer claimed the largest payoff in tennis history, 2.4 million dollars, for taking last year's US Open crown after winning the most points from tune-up events across North America starting next week.

An extra 1.2 million dollars in bonus money was paid last year, bringing the 2007 total pay-out to players to 20.8 million dollars.