French Open prize money: Andy Murray loss to Novak Djokovic means he misses €1m Roland Garros payday
Andy Murray has missed the chance to push his 2015 earnings over the $4m mark after the Scot lost in five sets to Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros.
Read more: Murray takes solace in clay revival and plots Djokovic French demise
Murray faced the unenviable task of ending a run of seven straight losses to Djokovic, and put in a decent showing, losing 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 5-7, 6-1.
Djokovic's reward for winning is sweet – a place in the final guaranteeing the Serbian at least €900,000 (£659,126) in prize money.
Murray himself has enjoyed a lucrative first half of 2015 having won two titles and 31 matches, earning a cool $3.1m (£2m) along the way. Never before has he picked up prize money at such a pace.
The world number three is the second-fastest earner on the ATP tour this year, with over $1m more in the bank than third-placed Tomas Berdych.
A French Open win would have stood Murray in good stead to enjoy the most financially successful year of his career to date – adding a further $2m to his pay packet for the year. Now he will have to rely on a good run at Wimbledon.
If Murray's form leading into the match had been impressive, Djokovic's was imperious. The Serb arrived at Roland Garros with $5.99m in the bank thanks to 35 wins and five titles at the cost of just two losses.
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The tour's highest earner has now beaten Murray four times this season and dispatched clay-court king Rafael Nadal in straight sets in Wednesday's quarter-final.
Djokovic, the second-highest earner in ATP history behind Roger Federer, will see his career earnings transcend the $80m mark if he can go onto inherit Nadal's crown.