The US Open will come to a close with a Monday men’s final for a fourth straight year—and what a finale it is. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will square off for the second straight year, this time in the first men’s singles championship to feature the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds since 1996, when Pete Sampras defeated Michael Chang. It is the first time in 24 years that the US Open men’s singles final is a rematch from a year earlier. And there is plenty on the line. Djokovic is pursuing his first US Open crown and his third Grand Slam tournament title of the year two days after his thrilling five-set win over Roger Federer. Nadal, meantime, is looking to defend his title and, in the process, square the year’s Grand Slam count with Djokovic at two apiece and match Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver for fourth all-time with 11 Grand Slam tournament titles.
US Open History
1936 – Fred Perry becomes the first foreign player to win three U.S. men’s singles titles when he defeats Don Budge, 2-6, 6-2, 8-6, 1-6, 10-8, in the final. Alice Marble ends the four-year reign of Helen Jacobs as U.S. women’s singles champion, defeating Jacobs, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, in the final.
1976 – Jimmy Connors wins the second of his five US Open singles titles, defeating first-time finalist Bjorn Borg in the final, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4.
1981 – Tracy Austin wins her second US Open singles title, edging first-time finalist Martina Navratilova, 1-6, 7-6, 7-6.
1982 – Jimmy Connors returns to the winner’s circle at the US Open for the first time since 1978, defeating Ivan Lendl in the title match, 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.
1987 – Martina Navratilova wins her fourth US Open singles title, defeating Steffi Graf in the final, 7-6, 6-1.
1992 – Stefan Edberg and Michael Chang play what is believed to be the longest match in the history of the US Open. The No. 2-seeded Edberg needs 5 hours and 26 minutes to defeat the fourth-seeded Chang, 6-7, 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4. Monica Seles wins her second straight US Open singles title, defeating Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in the final.
1993 – Pete Sampras defeats Cedric Pioline, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3, to win his second US Open singles title. Pioline is the first Frenchman since Henri Cochet in 1932 to reach the singles final at the U.S. Championships / US Open.
1998 – Lindsay Davenport captures her first Grand Slam tournament singles title, defeating Martina Hingis, 6-3, 7-5, in the final. Davenport also becomes the first American-born woman to win the US Open since Chris Evert won the last of her six singles titles in 1982.
1999 – Andre Agassi wins his second US Open singles title, coming back from two-sets-to-one down to defeat Todd Martin, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-2. Agassi never loses his serve in the first five-set US Open final in 11 years.
2004 – Roger Federer wins his first US Open men’s singles title in ruthless fashion, defeating 2001 champion Lleyton Hewitt, 6-0, 7-6(3), 6-0, in the final.
2009 – In a bizarre finish to a closely contested women’s semifinal match, Serena Williams is called for a foot fault on a second serve while trailing Kim Clijsters, 4-6, 5-6, 15-30. The call gives Clijsters a match point. Williams vociferously disagrees, confronting the lineswoman who made the call. After a discussion between Williams, the lineswoman, the chair umpire and the tournament referee, Brian Earley, it is ruled that Williams’ outburst earns her a code violation. The code violation is Williams’ second of the match—she received the first for smashing a racquet between sets—and results in a point penalty that hands Clijsters the game and, with it, the set, the match and a place in the final.
(Courtesy of USTA)