The US Tennis Association (USTA) have announced that prize money for the 2013 US Open will be increased by four million dollars, doubling the record two million dollar increase of 2012. 

Total US Open prize money in 2013 will be $29.5 million.  Singles prize money at the US Open has now increased by 34% since the 2011 US Open.  Overall tournament prize money has been increased by $6 million since the 2011 US Open. Distribution of prize money by round will be determined by the USTA in due course.  The USTA will solicit suggestions for this distribution from the men’s and women’s players and their respective tours. 

In order to accommodate the players’ request for a day of rest between the singles semifinals and finals, the 2013 US Open is scheduled to conclude on Monday, September 9.  The women’s singles semifinals will be played in a single day session on Friday, September 6, and the women’s final will take place on Sunday, September 8 at 4:30 p.m. ET, in the time slot where the men’s singles final was traditionally played. 

The men’s singles semifinals will continue to be played in a single day session on Saturday, September 7, with the men’s singles final to take place on Monday, September 9 at 5:00 p.m. ET.  In the new schedule, no competition will be scheduled for the second Saturday night of the tournament. 

“I’m pleased that the USTA has modified the US Open schedule to include a day of rest between the semi-finals and final,” said Andy Murray, winner of the 2012 US Open. “Together with the prize money increase, it’s good that they’ve taken on board the players’ concerns.” 

“We recognize the increased physicality required to compete at the highest level of the sport, and we have responded to the players’ request for a scheduled day of rest between the singles semifinals and finals,” said Jon Vegosen, USTA Chairman of the Board and President.  “The record increase in US Open prize money and the changes in the next year’s schedule are aimed at rewarding the players’ talents and accommodating the rigors of the modern professional game.”

The ATP said in a statement: “By modifying the schedule to allow a rest day between the semi-finals and the final, the US Open has recognised the incredible physical demands of men’s tennis.

“However, the ATP and its players have made it clear to the US Open that we do not support a Monday final. We strongly believe the US Open should keep a similar schedule to the other Grand Slams, with the men’s semi-finals completed by Friday and the final on Sunday. It is unfortunate the US Open response did not reflect our views on this issue and the ATP and its players will continue to pursue this matter in its discussions with the USTA.”

Omega Pharma-Quick Step, prostate the top-tier cycling team, have signed sports business research and analysis company Repucom as their Official Research Partner.

The deal will ensure that Repucom monitor the team’s exposure on television across the world in order to help with potential sponsorship deals.

Repucom will provide the team with media values and ‘repeatable analytics’ to take to current and potential sponsors.

Marnix Drysdale, Business Development Director for the team said: “In order to optimise the commercial value of our property, it is crucial that we validate our assets accurately.

“Pro cycling is generating tremendous media exposure nowadays, on a global scale. The sport is very sponsor-centric and hence the strong need to better understand our value proposition.

“With the Repucom partnership we believe we are well positioned to add value for our sponsors and increase revenues for the team.”

Omega Pharma-Quick Step are enjoying a successful season in the ProTour and are sitting fourth in the official Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) rankings.

Sachin Tendulkar, health India’s legendary cricketer, capsule has become the nation’s first active sportsman to be sworn in as a member of parliament.

Tendulkar spoke of his delight at the honour and hinted he would use the role to aid the development of Indian sport.

“In the last 22 years of my international career, cricket has given me so much. Today with the nomination, I am in a better position not only to help cricket but also other sports,” he said.

Tendulkar was previously considered for the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.

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Kiteboarding has won its battle with windsurfing for a place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games sailing competition after the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) made its final event and equipment selections.

The Council voted in favour of kiteboarding to replace windsurfing as the board event for both the men and women in 2016 during their ISAF Mid-Year Meeting in Stresa, buy Italy.

This follows the work of an evaluation panel set up in November 2011 to examine kiteboarding formats after the board events for Rio 2016 were defined as “windsurfing and/or kiteboarding”.

The panel recommended kiteboarding be included in the ISAF Event family including the ISAF Sailing World Cup and the ISAF Sailing World Championships.

But the Council decided to go further by giving the sport Olympic status, though the ISAF Windsurfing and Kiteboarding Committee will make further recommendations on the inclusion of kiteboarding at the ISAF Annual Conference in November 2012.

ISAF President Göran Petersson said: These announcements mark a new era for sailing and we welcome the new classes into the ISAF family. The equipment selections have fulfillied the criteria set out by the evaluation panel and we look forward to seeing the boats not only at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but also the ISAF Sailing World Cup and the ISAF Sailing World Championships.

“Kiteboarding has proven to us that it is ready to be included inito the list of prestigious ISAF event and it is a fantastic addition to the sailing programme for the 2016 Olympic Games.”

The Mackay FX, referred to as the 49er FX, was selected ahead of the 29erXX and RS900 as the two person women’s skiff while the Nacra 17 joins the Olympic equipment family after being selected for the two person mixed multihull event instead of the Viper.

Warwickshire County Cricket Club new pricing strategy may have paid off as Edgbaston is set to welcome a record attendance for a Friends Life t20 fixture after further free tickets were given away for the match between Warwickshire and Worcestershire on June 15.

As part of a promotion with Marston’s Pedigree – the official beer of both clubs – 10, generic 000 tickets were initially scheduled to be given away across 20 days in April.

However, pills Colin Povey, the chief executive of Edgbaston Stadium, has now confirmed that the match will be played in front of a sell-out crowd of 25,000 after additional free tickets were made available to supporters.

“After a phenomenal response, we were keen to distribute even more tickets and ensure that we have a packed Edgbaston that can get behind the Bears for our first home match of the tournament,” said Povey.

“The Friends Life t20 is fantastic entertainment that sports fans of all ages can enjoy, and the match on June 15 will be a great spectacle, which I hope will encourage many more fans to support the Bears here at Edgbaston in the future.”

Des Gallagher, head of brands marketing at Marston’s Beer Company, added: “The match between Warwickshire and Worcestershire is always a great fixture and as a supporter of both counties, we were keen to give even more spectators an opportunity to experience the local rivalry and the excitement that comes with a Friends Life t20 derby.”

Forbes have reported that hedge fund manager David Einhorn could gain control of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) New York Mets for just US$1 in three years time.

A deal was agreed between Einhorn and the owners of the MLB team, Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, last month, which saw Einhorn pay $200m for a one-third stake in the Mets, gaining the right to obtain a 60% interest in three years unless Wilpon and Katz returned the $200m to Einhorn but allowed the hedge fund manager to retain his 33% ownership.

A banker familiar with the deal says the “strike price” for the 60% stake is just $1, and though the deal is not final and is subject to the approval from the league, its terms underscore the desperation of Wilpon and Katz, whose team is swimming in debt.

The Mets are also embroiled in a legal battle with Irving H. Picard, the trustee representing the victims of the fraud in Bernard L. Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, who is seeking $1bn from the Wilpon family. If the Wilpons do have to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle with Picard it is hard to see how Einhorn will not ultimately get control of the Mets for a dollar.

The Canadian city of Winnipeg will welcome back National Hockey League (NHL) action after True North Sports and Entertainment (TNSE) completed a takeover of the Atlanta Thrashers franchise yesterday, May 31.

The TNSE group, chaired by Mark Chipman, announced that the acquisition of the franchise from Atlanta Spirit LLC would see the team relocated to the Manitoba capital. The revelation sees a return of NHL in Winnipeg after the Winnipeg Jets, having been in the NHL for 17 years, ran out of funding and were forced to relocate to Phoenix to become the Coyotes in 1996.

The transaction still has to be ratified by the NHL’s board of governors, but Chipman admitted to The Canadian Press: “I’m excited beyond words.”

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman added: “We get to be back in a place we wish we hadn’t left in 1996. It’s clear that times have changed for Winnipeg as an NHL market and this is a wonderful time to add a club to Canada. Hockey in Canada has never been stronger.”

The sale price is reportedly around US$170m, with almost a third of the total being handed to the NHL as a relocation fee. The new Winnipeg-based team will be based at the 15,000-seat MTS Centre, which is owned and operated by True North.