Rafael Nadal of Spain and Kevin Anderson of South Africa will compete for the 2017 US Open title Sunday at 4:00 p.m ET.
Anderson, 31, is making his Grand Slam final debut, while Nadal, 31, is vying for his 16th Grand Slam title and third US Open.
The finalists have been competing together since junior tennis. Here they are at age 12 in 1998:
Nadal has won the four previous meetings on tour and is 9-1 in sets. Their career earnings are just as lopsided: Anderson has earned $8.3 million in prize money over his career, while the world No. 1 has earned $86.2 million in prize money.
Today's winner will collect a $3.7 million check, the most lucrative payout in tennis history. The runner-up will earn about half that amount: $1.83 million.
The payout is much, much higher than in 1968, the start of tennis' professional era.
The first U.S. Open awarded a total of $100,000 in prize money. The men's champion was slated to earn $14,000 of that, but because of his amateur status, Arthur Ashe brought home just $20 per diem.
At the 2017 U.S. Open, $50.4 million will be awarded in total, making it the richest tournament in tennis history.
Here's how much the other singles competitors earned at this year's Open:
Semifinal losers: $920,000
Quarterfinal losers: $470,000
Round of 16 losers: $253,625
Round of 32 losers: $144,000
Round of 64 losers: $86,000
Round of 128 losers: $50,000
Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook.
Don't miss: 2017 US Open pays the most in tennis history—here's how much the champs will earn
