Great Moments in U.S. Open Tennis History
1968: Arthur Ashe
In 1968, Arthur Ashe wins his first of three majors, defeating Tom Okker 14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the US Open final. 1968 was the first year of the Open Era and therefore the first year of the US Open, which was previously the US Championships. Ashe was the first African-American man to win a major title. He went on to win the Australian Open in 1970 and Wimbledon in 1975.
1979: Tracy Austin
In 1979, Tracy Austin wins her first major of two, defeating Chris Evert Lloyd 6-4, 6-3 in the US Open final. At 16 years and just shy of 9 months, Austin was the youngest US Open champion. She won the US Open again in 1981, but lost most of her prime playing years due to injuries.
1988: Steffi Graf
In 1988, Steffi Graf completes a calendar-year Grand Slam, defeating Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the US Open final. Graf is one of only three women, along with Maureen Connolly and Margaret Court, to win the calendar-year Grand Slam, and her 22 major singles titles are second only to Court's 24. Later in the year, Steffi won the Olympic gold medal in singles and thus became the only player of either gender ever to win a Golden Slam.
1990: Pete Sampras
In 1990, Pete Sampras wins his first of 14 majors, defeating Andre Agassi 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 in the US Open final. At just over 19, Sampras was the youngest US Open men's singles champion. Pete would go on to win the US Open four more times, along with seven Wimbledons and two Australian Opens.
1990: Gabriela Sabatini
In 1990, Gabriela Sabatini wins her only major, upsetting Steffi Graf 6-2, 7-6 in the US Open final. Sabatini won 27 WTA singles titles and reached a career-high ranking of #3. Gabriela's good looks and on-court success made her wildly popular in her native Argentina and the rest of South America.
1991: Jimmy Connors
In 1991, Jimmy Connors, ranked #174, gets a wild card into the US Open and makes an incredible run to the semifinals, highlighted by his win over Aaron Krickstein 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 in the fourth round on his 39th birthday. Connors lost to Jim Courier 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals. Jimmy holds the all-time record for career singles titles at 109, eight of which were majors: one Australian Open, two Wimbledons, and five US Opens.
1991: Monica Seles
In 1991, Monica Seles caps off her first year of dominating women's tennis as she wins her third major of the year, defeating Martina Navratilova, 7-6, 6-1 in the US Open final. Seles brought an unprecedented level of groundstroke power to the top of the women's game and was by far the most successful player who used a rare two hands on both forehands and backhands. Even more unusual was Seles's cross-handed lefty forehand, seen here, with her pushing hand below her pulling hand.
Monica's nine major titles include four Australian Opens, three French Opens, and two US Opens. She probably would have won many more had she not been stabbed by a deranged spectator in 1993.
1997: Patrick Rafter
In 1997, Patrick Rafter wins his first of two majors, defeating Greg Rusedski 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 in the US Open final. Rafter won the US Open again in 1998 and was the runner-up at Wimbledon in 2000 and 2001. Pat was one of the last great serve-and-volley players, coming in behind an outstanding right-handed twist serve that was especially effective against one-handed backhanders like Pete Sampras, whom he beat in the semifinals on the way to his second US Open title.
In 2001, Andre Agassi plays Pete Sampras in the US Open quarterfinals. Sampras wins 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 7-6(2), 7-6(5) in their best encounter and one of the greatest matches of either's career. With both players at their highest level, neither's serve is broken. Agassi completed a career Grand Slam, winning four Australian Opens, one French Open, one Wimbledon, and two US Opens.
In 2004, Svetlana Kuznetsova wins her first of two majors, defeating Elena Dementieva 6-3, 7-5 in the US Open final. Playing with an exciting mix of power on both sides and excellent quickness, Kuznetsova was the first Russian woman to win the US Open. Svetlana won Roland Garros in 2009 and has made the quarterfinals or better multiple times in all four majors.
In 1968, Arthur Ashe wins his first of three majors, defeating Tom Okker 14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the US Open final. 1968 was the first year of the Open Era and therefore the first year of the US Open, which was previously the US Championships. Ashe was the first African-American man to win a major title. He went on to win the Australian Open in 1970 and Wimbledon in 1975.
1979: Tracy Austin
In 1979, Tracy Austin wins her first major of two, defeating Chris Evert Lloyd 6-4, 6-3 in the US Open final. At 16 years and just shy of 9 months, Austin was the youngest US Open champion. She won the US Open again in 1981, but lost most of her prime playing years due to injuries.
1988: Steffi Graf
In 1988, Steffi Graf completes a calendar-year Grand Slam, defeating Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the US Open final. Graf is one of only three women, along with Maureen Connolly and Margaret Court, to win the calendar-year Grand Slam, and her 22 major singles titles are second only to Court's 24. Later in the year, Steffi won the Olympic gold medal in singles and thus became the only player of either gender ever to win a Golden Slam.
1990: Pete Sampras
In 1990, Pete Sampras wins his first of 14 majors, defeating Andre Agassi 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 in the US Open final. At just over 19, Sampras was the youngest US Open men's singles champion. Pete would go on to win the US Open four more times, along with seven Wimbledons and two Australian Opens.
1990: Gabriela Sabatini
In 1990, Gabriela Sabatini wins her only major, upsetting Steffi Graf 6-2, 7-6 in the US Open final. Sabatini won 27 WTA singles titles and reached a career-high ranking of #3. Gabriela's good looks and on-court success made her wildly popular in her native Argentina and the rest of South America.
1991: Jimmy Connors
In 1991, Jimmy Connors, ranked #174, gets a wild card into the US Open and makes an incredible run to the semifinals, highlighted by his win over Aaron Krickstein 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 in the fourth round on his 39th birthday. Connors lost to Jim Courier 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals. Jimmy holds the all-time record for career singles titles at 109, eight of which were majors: one Australian Open, two Wimbledons, and five US Opens.
1991: Monica Seles
In 1991, Monica Seles caps off her first year of dominating women's tennis as she wins her third major of the year, defeating Martina Navratilova, 7-6, 6-1 in the US Open final. Seles brought an unprecedented level of groundstroke power to the top of the women's game and was by far the most successful player who used a rare two hands on both forehands and backhands. Even more unusual was Seles's cross-handed lefty forehand, seen here, with her pushing hand below her pulling hand.
Monica's nine major titles include four Australian Opens, three French Opens, and two US Opens. She probably would have won many more had she not been stabbed by a deranged spectator in 1993.
1997: Patrick Rafter
In 1997, Patrick Rafter wins his first of two majors, defeating Greg Rusedski 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 in the US Open final. Rafter won the US Open again in 1998 and was the runner-up at Wimbledon in 2000 and 2001. Pat was one of the last great serve-and-volley players, coming in behind an outstanding right-handed twist serve that was especially effective against one-handed backhanders like Pete Sampras, whom he beat in the semifinals on the way to his second US Open title.
In 2001, Andre Agassi plays Pete Sampras in the US Open quarterfinals. Sampras wins 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 7-6(2), 7-6(5) in their best encounter and one of the greatest matches of either's career. With both players at their highest level, neither's serve is broken. Agassi completed a career Grand Slam, winning four Australian Opens, one French Open, one Wimbledon, and two US Opens.
In 2004, Svetlana Kuznetsova wins her first of two majors, defeating Elena Dementieva 6-3, 7-5 in the US Open final. Playing with an exciting mix of power on both sides and excellent quickness, Kuznetsova was the first Russian woman to win the US Open. Svetlana won Roland Garros in 2009 and has made the quarterfinals or better multiple times in all four majors.
Source...