Andy Murray and Serena Williams were the defending champions in the singles events. Williams successfully defended her title, but Murray was defeated in the quarterfinals by Stanislas Wawrinka. Rafael Nadal won the men's singles.
Tournament
Arthur Ashe Stadium where the Finals of US Open take place
The tournament was an event run by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and was part of the 2013 ATP World Tour and the 2013 WTA Tour calendars under the Grand Slam category. The tournament consisted of both men's and women's singles and doubles draws as well as a mixed doubles event. There were singles and doubles events for both boys and girls (players under 18), which was part of the Grade A category of tournaments, and after one-year break due to Paralympic Games in London singles, doubles and quad events for men's and women's wheelchair tennis players as part of the NEC tour under the Grand Slam category.
In 2008–2012, due to inclement weather conditions, the tournament lasted 15 instead of the scheduled 14 days, ending on the third Monday. In 2013, the schedule was extended to 15 days, potentially giving the players one more day to prepare for the final match.[2]
Maria Sharapova, 2006 champion, ranked third in the world (formerly first), withdrew from the tournament due to a shoulder injury.[3]
In a second round match which pitted the 2001 and 2009 men's champions against each other, Lleyton Hewitt defeated Juan Martín del Potro in five grueling sets lasting over four hours; this marked the first time since he won the title in 2001 that Hewitt had defeated a top ten opponent at the US Open.[4]
By winning the first set in her fourth round loss to Victoria Azarenka, Ana Ivanovic won her first set against a top ten opponent at a Grand Slam since she won the 2008 French Open, ending a streak of 15 consecutive sets lost against a top ten seed.[note a][5]
Serena Williams won 24 consecutive games from 1–1 in the second set against Sloane Stephens in the fourth round through to 1–0 in the second set against Li Na in the semi-finals, breaking her own record of 23 games at last year's US Open.[6]
For the second consecutive year, Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka contested the women's final, marking the first time since 2001–2 in which two consecutive US Open finals were contested between the same two players.[6]
With Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal contesting the men's final, this marked the first time since the 2000 Australian Open in which both the men's and women's finals were contested between the top two.[7]
By winning the tournament, both Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams collected the biggest payday in tennis history of $3.6M ($2.6M for the championship and an added $1M bonus for winning the 2013 US Open Series). Also, with the win, Williams and Nadal have now won each Grand Slam together – the Australian Open (2009), the French Open (2013), Wimbledon (2010) and the US Open (2013). They are the first male-female pair in the entire history of tennis, not just in the Open Era, to win all four Grand Slams together.a[8]
By winning the US Open, Rafael Nadal became the first player since Andy Roddick in 2003 to capture the 3 major consecutive US hardcourt season titles, namely the Roger's Cup, Cincinnati Masters and US Open.
Top three players in the 2013 US Open Series received bonus prize money, depending on where they finish in the 2013 US Open, according to money schedule below.[11]
