US Open Men's Singles Winners
In 1968 the decision was taken to allow professional tennis players to take part in all the Grand Slam events for the very first time. It was the beginning of the 'Open Era'.
The first pro to lift the coveted singles title in New York was fittingly the man centre court is now named after - the celebrated Arthur Ashe. In a marathon contest, the famous African-American defeated Tom Okker of the Netherlands in five hard-fought sets, 14-12 5-7 6-3 3-6 6-3.
From then on all the big names of the era ended up claiming the coveted title at least once. Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall both contested an all-Australian final, and both managed to vanquish fellow countryman, Tony Roche. Romanian Illie Nastase, and another famous Australian, John Newcombe added the title to their long and distinguished careers.
For the next decade the wayward Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe effectively ran the show. From 1974 they made the finals of the US Open their own private domain, and apart from Manuel Orantes in 1975 and Guillermo Vilas in 1977, the US Open men's singles winners took turns in pocketing the win in New York.
The legendary Swede, Bjorn Borg was the unlucky runner-up on four occasions at Flushing Meadows - he lost to both Connors and McEnroe, and was never able to add the US Open men's singles title to his astounding resume.
Czech, Ivan Lendl then galloped into the record books with his three consecutive victories from 1985 to 1987. The remainder of the 80s saw a mixed bag of champions - Mats Wilander, Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker were triumphant at least once at the Arthur Ashe stadium.
The 1990s saw the omnipotent Pete Sampras at his best. The indisputable hero of Flushing Meadows racked up five wins, his last being as late as 2002 when he defeated another veteran of the game, Andre Agassi. Agassi himself claimed two titles, in 1994 and 1999.
Patrick Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt, Marat Safin and Andy Roddick all claimed the top prize until a young Swiss star hit the canvas running. Roger Federer claimed his first title in 2004, and has never let up. He has won five straight US Opens toppling Sampras' record, and is not looking like relinquishing his stranglehold on the event quite yet!
|
Year |
Champion |
Runner-up |
Score |
|
2008 |
Roger Federer |
6–2 7–5 6–2 |
|
|
2007 |
Roger Federer |
7-6(4) 7-6(2) 6-4 |
|
|
2006 |
6-2 4-6 7-5 6-1 |
||
|
2005 |
Roger Federer |
Andre Agassi |
6-3 2-6 7-6(1) 6-1 |
|
2004 |
Roger Federer |
Lleyton Hewitt |
6-0 7-6(3) 6-0 |
|
2003 |
Andy Roddick |
Juan Carlos Ferrero |
6-3 7-6(2) 6-3 |
|
2002 |
Andre Agassi |
6-3 6-4 5-7 6-4 |
|
|
2001 |
Lleyton Hewitt |
Pete Sampras |
7-6(4) 6-1 6-1 |
|
2000 |
Marat Safin |
Pete Sampras |
6-4 6-3 6-3 |
|
1999 |
Andre Agassi |
Todd Martin |
6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(2) 6-3 6-2 |
|
1998 |
Patrick Rafter |
Mark Philippoussis |
6-3 3-6 6-2 6-0 |
|
1997 |
Patrick Rafter |
Greg Rusedski |
6-3 6-2 4-6 7-5 |
|
1996 |
Michael Chang |
6-1 6-4 7-6(3) |
|
|
1995 |
Pete Sampras |
Andre Agassi |
6-4 6-3 4-6 7-5 |
|
1994 |
Andre Agassi |
Michael Stich |
6-1 7-6(5) 7-5 |
|
1993 |
Pete Sampras |
Cedric Pioline |
6-4 6-4 6-3 |
|
1992 |
Stefan Edberg |
Pete Sampras |
3-6 6-4 7-6(5) 6-2 |
|
1991 |
Stefan Edberg |
Jim Courier |
6-2 6-4 6-0 |
|
1990 |
Pete Sampras |
Andre Agassi |
6-4 6-3 6-2 |
|
1989 |
Boris Becker |
Ivan Lendl |
7-6 1-6 6-3 7-6 |
|
1988 |
Mats Wilander |
Ivan Lendl |
6-4 4-6 6-3 5-7 6-4 |
|
1987 |
Ivan Lendl |
Mats Wilander |
6-7 6-0 7-6 6-4 |
|
1986 |
Ivan Lendl |
Miloslav Mecir |
6-4 6-2 6-0 |
|
1985 |
Ivan Lendl |
John McEnroe |
7-6 6-3 6-4 |
|
1984 |
Ivan Lendl |
6-3 6-4 6-1 |
|
|
1983 |
Ivan Lendl |
6-3 6-7 7-5 6-0 |
|
|
1982 |
Jimmy Connors |
Ivan Lendl |
6-3 6-2 4-6 6-4 |
|
1981 |
Bjorn Borg |
4-6 6-2 6-4 6-3 |
|
|
1980 |
John McEnroe |
Bjorn Borg |
7-6 6-1 6-7 5-7 6-4 |
|
1979 |
John McEnroe |
Vitas Gerulaitis |
7-5 6-3 6-3 |
|
1978 |
Jimmy Connors |
Bjorn Borg |
6-4 6-2 6-2 |
|
1977 |
Guillermo Vilas |
Jimmy Connors |
2-6 6-3 7-5 6-0 |
|
1976 |
Jimmy Connors |
Bjorn Borg |
6-4 3-6 7-6 6-4 |
|
1975 |
Manuel Orantes |
Jimmy Connors |
6-4 6-3 6-3 |
|
1974 |
Ken Rosewall |
6-1 6-0 6-1 |
|
|
1973 |
John Newcombe |
Jan Kodes |
6-4 1-6 4-6 6-2 6-2 |
|
1972 |
Illie Nastase |
Arthur Ashe |
3-6 6-3 6-7 6-4 6-3 |
|
1971 |
Stan Smith |
Jan Kodes |
3-6 6-3 6-2 7-6 |
|
1970 |
Ken Rosewall |
Tony Roche |
2-6 6-4 7-6 6-3 |
|
1969 |
Rod Laver |
Tony Roche |
7-9 6-1 6-2 6-2 |
|
1968 |
Arthur Ashe |
Tom Okker |
14-12 5-7 6-3 3-6 6-3 |
