The US Open has thrown up some incredible moments over the years, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to have a look at the greatest champions at the event.
- Chris Evert
Evert was a trailblazer in the women’s game and her achievements are still rightly talked about to this day.
The American won her first Grand Slam title in 1974, beating Olga Morozova in the final of the French Open, before going on to add the Wimbledon crown to her CV just a few months later.
Her maiden US Open triumph came in 1975, having also defended her French Open title, and she went on to win her home Grand Slam on four consecutive occasions.
The Florida native lost to Tracy Austin in the 1979 final in New York but was back on top the following year as she won the event in 1980.
Evert’s sixth and final US Open title came in 1982, beating Hana Mandlikova 6-3 6-1 in the final.
Incredibly, Evert reached at least the semi-finals in all but two of her US Open campaigns between 1971 and 1989, while her six triumphs at the Grand Slam remains a tied record.
- Jimmy Connors
Consistency was key for Connors as he reached at least the semi-finals at the US Open on 12 consecutive occasions.
Indeed, he went all the way in the Big Apple five times, lifting the title in 1974, 1976, 1978, 1982 and 1983.
Connors also won the Australian Open once and Wimbledon twice, but he certainly stepped up his game when in familiar surroundings on home soil.
The former world number one, who spent a then-record 160 weeks at the top of the rankings between 1974 and 1977, will always be remembered for his incredible run at the US Open in 1991.
He reached the semi-finals in that year at the grand old age of 39 when many had written him off.
- Pete Sampras
Sampras was a major part of what many regard to be a golden era in men’s tennis.
After turning professional in 1988, Sampras picked up his first Grand Slam title at his home event in 1990.
He lost to defending champion Stefan Edberg in the 1992 final but went all the way the following year as he downed Cedric Pioline in the 1993 showpiece.
The American limped out disappointingly in the fourth round in 1994 but he responded in fantastic fashion to win back-to-back titles in 1995 and 1996.
Sampras finished runner-up in 2000 and 2001 but, 12 years after his first win at the US Open, he defeated Andre Agassi in the 2002 final to seal his fifth victory at the historic tournament before confirming his retirement.
- Serena Williams
Williams turned professional in 1995 but she didn’t appear at a Grand Slam until 1998 and failed to make it past round four at any event until the US Open in 1999.
She made a serious statement at that competition, beating world number one Martina Hingis 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in the final.
The 38-year-old has never looked back from that moment and currently sits on 23 Grand Slam titles – the most won by any player in the Open Era and the second-most of all time behind Margaret Court on 24.
Six of those titles have come at Flushing Meadows with victories at her home event coming in 1999, 20002, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Williams has finished runner-up at the US Open in each of the last two seasons, losing to Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
The world number nine can be backed at 5/1 to win the 2020 US Open.
- Roger Federer
Federer takes top spot on this list of greatest US Open champions although, with so many legends already mentioned, it was a difficult call.
The Swiss star has lifted 20 Grand Slam trophies over a hugely successful career – the most in history for a male player – and he held the world number one spot for a record total of 310 weeks.
Wimbledon has been his happiest hunting ground, winning the grass Grand Slam on eight occasions, but he has also enjoyed himself on the hard court in America.
Federer’s first victory at Flushing Meadows came in 2004.
He clearly got a taste for glory in the Big Apple and went on to win the US Open five times in a row.
His winning run came to an end in 2009 when he lost to Juan Martin del Potro in the final.
*All odds correct at time of writing
