U.S. Open Tennis records - some interesting facts in the history of the Championships
From the longest tennis matches, to the players who have won the most singles and doubles titles at the U.S Open, here are some key records from the event whose 2022 edition is taking place at Flushing Meadows in New York until Sunday, September 11.
Tennis
Here are some of the most amazing U.S. Open tennis records.
Who has played in most singles finals?
Bill Tilden and Molla Bjurstedt Mallory each featured in 10 U.S Singles finals.
Tilden played in the finals between 1918-1929 while Mallory reached the finals between 1915-1924 and in 1926.
Pete Sampras with eight and Chris Evert with nine hold the records for the open era or what is now known as the current period of professional tennis dating back to 1968.
But the honour of playing in the most Singles tournament belongs to Vic Seixas Jr. for the men and Martina Navratilova for women. Seixas Jr. played in 28 US opens while Navratilova featured in 21 consecutive U.S. Open between 1973-1993.
Which players have won the most U.S. Open singles titles?
Bill Tilden, Bill Larned and Richard Sears each won seven titles in the pre-open era. But it's Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras who have dominated in the open era with five titles each.
Molla Bjurstedt Mallory was not only a common feature in the finals. The Norwegian-American player won a record eight women's singles titles between 1915-18, 1920-22 and in 1926.
In the pro era it is Chris Evert and Serena Williams who are the most decorated female players with six titles each.
Which players have won the most Championships at the U.S. Open?
In the pre-open era, Margaret Osbourne du Point with three singles titles, 13 doubles and nine mixed doubles tops the list.
Navratilova ranks top with 16 U.S Open titles in the open era. Out of that four are singles, nine doubles and three mixed doubles.
Who holds the record for the most singles matches won at the U.S. Open?
Americans Connors and Evert hold the records for the most single matches won.
Evert won 101 women’s singles match at the American major event.
Connors won 98 U.S Open men's matches on all three courts of the U.S Open between 1970-1992.
Youngest singles champions at the U.S. Open
Aged 16 years and 8 months, American Tracy Austin became the youngest ever winner at the U.S Open in 1979.
Sampras won the men’s title for the first time in 1990 which made him the youngest ever men’s champions at 19 years and 28 days.
Oldest singles champions at the U.S. Open
Molla Bjurstedt Mallory last victory at the U.S. open in 1926 made her the oldest champion at 42 years and five months. Before her William Larned had won the men’s 1911 U.S. Championship when he was 38 years and 8 months.
Who are the unseeded champions who have won U.S. Open singles titles?
The 2021 women's singles winner Emma Raducanu is not just in the list of unseeded champions, she's the only qualifier to win a major title.
Belgium’s Kim Clijsters (2009) and Sloane Stephens (2017) are the only two other players to have lifted the trophy after coming in as unseeded players.
What are the serving records at the U.S. Open?
The U.S open’s top servers in a single tournament have been Pete Sampras for the men’s with 144 aces in 2001 and Serena Williams for the women’s with 70 in 1999.
Most doubles titles won at the U.S. Open
The long-time doubles partnership of Louise Brough and Margaret du Pont produced 12 titles between 1940 and 1957. The identical twin brothers of Bob and Mike Bryan are the most successful pair at the U.S open having won five men’s doubles titles.
Which was the longest match at the U.S. Open?
The over five-hour men’s semi-final match in 1992 is the longest match in U.S. Open history. Stefan Edberg of Sweden overcame American Michael Chang in a gruelling five hour, and 26 minutes match in 6–7, 7–5, 7–6, 5–7, 6–4.
Longest tie-break at the U.S. Open
At the 2012 US Open men's singles final, British player Andy Murray won the first set tiebreaker against Novak Djokovic 12–10, the longest tie-break in a U.S. Open final. Murray went on to win the match 7–6, 7–5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–2.
What's the latest finish in U.S. Open history
There are two!
In 1993 Mats Wilander and Mikael Pernfors played a five-set, four-hour marathon that ended at 2:26 am New York time.
Tying the record for the latest finish at the U.S. open was the 2012 third-rounder pitting Philipp Kohlschreiber and John Isner and the five-set thriller between Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori that also finished at 2:26 am in 2014.