We at Read Scoops are major fans of the sport of tennis and we try to keep up-to-date with all the happenings in this industry, as well with the records and milestones that are achieved on a daily basis. Today we’re going to talk about one of the four major grand slams that take place on the annual tennis calendar, the US Open.
While all four grand slams have a very long and rich history, this happens to be the only major that has never been skipped even once since its inception way back in 1881. The other slams had a break or two because of World War II and more recently, Covid-19. However, US Open was untouched through the years and decades. Today, we’ll take you through all the past men’s singles winners at the US Open…
Initially, this tournament was referred to as the United States National Championships from 1881 till 1967. It was then that the move was made from amateur era (where professionals couldn’t participate) to the Open Era, effective from 1968. That was also the first time the tournament was officially known as the US OPEN!
The first champion ever crowned in the US National Championships men’s singles was Richard Sears who won in 1881 and he holds multiple records till date. He has the record for the most wins in the amateur era (7 titles) as well as the most consecutive wins in that era (7 titles from 1881-1887). Those records hasn’t been surpassed yet, in either amateur or open era.
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The closest that anyone got to Sears in terms of US Open titles were William Larned and Bill Tilden, who each also won 7 titles at the men’s singles competition at US Open. In this article, we’re going to list down every single men’s singles champion of the US National Championships as well as the modern day US Open, updated 20th July 2022, prior to the start of the US Open 2022 tournament.
List of all US Open men’s singles champions
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Nationality | Final Score |
| 1881 | Richard Sears | William Glyn | USA | 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1882 | Richard Sears (2) | Clarence Clark | USA | 6-1, 6-4, 6-0 |
| 1883 | Richard Sears (3) | James Dwight | USA | 6-2, 6-0, 9-7 |
| 1884 | Richard Sears (4) | Howard Taylor | USA | 6-0, 1-6, 6-0, 6-2 |
| 1885 | Richard Sears (5) | Godfrey Brinley | USA | 6-3, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 |
| 1886 | Richard Sears (6) | Robert Livingston Beeckman | USA | 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1887 | Richard Sears (7) | Henry Slocum | USA | 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1888 | Henry Slocum | Howard Taylor | USA | 6-4, 6-1, 6-0 |
| 1889 | Henry Slocum (2) | Quincy Shaw | USA | 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 |
| 1890 | Oliver Campbell | Henry Slocum | USA | 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 |
| 1891 | Oliver Campbell (2) | Clarence Hobart | USA | 2-6, 7-5, 7-9, 6-1, 6-2 |
| 1892 | Oliver Campbell (3) | Frederick Hovey | USA | 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 |
| 1893 | Robert Wrenn | Frederick Hovey | USA | 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 1894 | Robert Wrenn (2) | Manliffe Goodbody | USA | 6-8, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 1895 | Frederick Hovey | Robert Wrenn | USA | 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1896 | Robert Wrenn (3) | Frederick Hovey | USA | 7-5, 3-6, 6-0, 1-6, 6-1 |
| 1897 | Robert Wrenn (4) | Wilberforce Eaves | USA | 4-6, 8-6, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 |
| 1898 | Malcolm Whitman | Dwight Davis | USA | 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 |
| 1899 | Malcolm Whitman (2) | Jahial Parmly Paret | USA | 6-1, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 |
| 1900 | Malcolm Whitman (3) | William Larned | USA | 6-4, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 |
| 1901 | William Larned | Beals Wright | USA | 6-2, 6-8, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 1902 | William Larned (2) | Reginald Doherty | USA | 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 8-6 |
| 1903 | Laurence Doherty | William Larned | Great Britain | 6-0, 6-3, 10-8 |
| 1904 | Holcombe Ward | William Clothier | USA | 10-8, 6-4, 9-7 |
| 1905 | Beals Wright | Holcombe Ward | USA | 6-2, 6-1, 11-9 |
| 1906 | William Clothier | Beals Wright | USA | 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 |
| 1907 | William Larned (3) | Robert LeRoy | USA | 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1908 | William Larned (4) | Beals Wright | USA | 6-1, 6-2, 8-6 |
| 1909 | William Larned (5) | William Clothier | USA | 6-1, 6-2, 5-7, 1-6, 6-1 |
| 1910 | William Larned (6) | Tom Bundy | USA | 6-1, 5-7, 6-0, 6-8, 6-1 |
| 1911 | William Larned (7) | Maurice McLoughlin | USA | 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 |
| 1912 | Maurice McLoughlin | Wallace Johnson | USA | 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 |
| 1913 | Maurice McLoughlin (2) | Richard Norris Williams | USA | 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 |
| 1914 | Richard Norris Williams | Maurice McLoughlin | USA | 6-3, 8-6, 10-8 |
The first men’s singles title won by Sears in 1881 was for USNLTA clubs members only. Post that, it opened up and for the first 22 editions of the tournament, Americans were the only ones winning here. It was only in 1903 that Laurence Doherty became the first outsider (UK) to win a US Open title. After that, it was again repeated in 1926 when Frenchman René Lacoste won his first US Open title.
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Today, US Open is known for being played on hard courts but it wasn’t always like that. In fact, US Open has happened on three different surfaces including grass (1881-1974), clay (1975-1977), and hard courts (1978 onwards). It has even seen multiple venues including Newport (1881-1914), Forest Hills (1915-1920; 1924-1977), Philadelphia (1921-1923), and then finally New York from 1978 onwards.
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Nationality | Final Score |
| 1915 | Bill Johnston | Maurice McLoughlin | USA | 1-6, 6-0, 7-5, 10-8 |
| 1916 | Richard Norris Williams (2) | Bill Johnston | USA | 4-6, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1917 | Robert Lindley Murray | Nathaniel Niles | USA | 5-7, 8-6, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1918 | Robert Lindley Murray (2) | Bill Tilden | USA | 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 |
| 1919 | Bill Johnston (2) | Bill Tilden | USA | 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1920 | Bill Tilden | Bill Johnston | USA | 6-1, 1-6, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 |
| 1921 | Bill Tilden (2) | Wallace Johnson | USA | 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 |
| 1922 | Bill Tilden (3) | Bill Johnston | USA | 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1923 | Bill Tilden (4) | Bill Johnston | USA | 6-4, 6-1, 6-4 |
| 1924 | Bill Tilden (5) | Bill Johnston | USA | 6-1, 9-7, 6-2 |
| 1925 | Bill Tilden (6) | Bill Johnston | USA | 4-6, 11-9, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 |
| 1926 | René Lacoste | Jean Borotra | France | 6-4, 6-0, 6-4 |
| 1927 | René Lacoste (2) | Bill Tilden | France | 11-9, 6-3, 11-9 |
| 1928 | Henri Cochet | Francis Hunter | France | 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 |
| 1929 | Bill Tilden (7) | Francis Hunter | USA | 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1930 | John Doeg | Frank Shields | USA | 10-8, 1-6, 6-4, 16-14 |
| 1931 | Ellsworth Vines | George Lott | USA | 7-9, 6-3, 9-7, 7-5 |
| 1932 | Ellsworth Vines (2) | Henri Cochet | USA | 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 1933 | Fred Perry | Jack Crawford | Great Britain | 6-3, 11-13, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 |
| 1934 | Fred Perry (2) | Wilmer Alison | Great Britain | 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 1-6, 8-6 |
| 1935 | Wilmer Allison | Sidney Wood | USA | 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 |
| 1936 | Fred Perry (3) | Don Budge | Great Britain | 2-6, 6-2, 8-6, 1-6, 10-8 |
| 1937 | Don Budge | Gottfried von Cramm | USA | 6-1, 7-9, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 |
| 1938 | Don Budge (2) | Gene Mako | USA | 6-3, 6-8, 6-2, 6-1 |
| 1939 | Bobby Riggs | Welby Van Horn | USA | 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1940 | Don McNeill | Bobby Riggs | USA | 4-6, 6-8, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 |
| 1941 | Bobby Riggs (2) | Frank Kovacs | USA | 5-7, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1942 | Ted Schroeder | Frank Parker | USA | 8-6, 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2 |
| 1943 | Joseph Hunt | Jack Kramer | USA | 6-3, 6-8, 10-8, 6-0 |
| 1944 | Frank Parker | Bill Talbert | USA | 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1945 | Frank Parker (2) | Bill Talbert | USA | 14-12, 6-1, 6-2 |
US Open takes place once a year at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, during the late August to early September period. It happens to be the last grand slam of the year and that’s why they were able to figure out how to make US Open 2020 happen even though there was the Covid-19 pandemic. However, this was the only grand slam being hosted through most of World War II as well.
US Open men’s winners post World War II
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Nationality | Final Score |
| 1946 | Jack Kramer | Tom Brown | USA | 9-7, 6-3, 6-0 |
| 1947 | Jack Kramer (2) | Frank Parker | USA | 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 |
| 1948 | Pancho Gonzales | Eric Sturgess | USA | 6-2, 6-3, 14-12 |
| 1949 | Pancho Gonzales (2) | Ted Schroeder | USA | 16-18, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1950 | Arthur Larsen | Herbert Flam | USA | 6-3, 4-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1951 | Frank Sedgman | Vic Seixas | Australia | 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 |
| 1952 | Frank Sedgman (2) | Gardnar Mulloy | Australia | 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 |
| 1953 | Tony Trabert | Vic Seixas | USA | 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 |
| 1954 | Vic Seixas | Rex Hartwig | USA | 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 1955 | Tony Trabert (2) | Ken Rosewall | USA | 9-7, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1956 | Ken Rosewall | Lew Hoad | Australia | 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1957 | Malcolm Anderson | Ashley Cooper | Australia | 10-8, 7-5, 6-4 |
| 1958 | Ashley Cooper | Malcolm Anderson | Australia | 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 10-8, 8-6 |
| 1959 | Neale Fraser | Alex Olmedo | Australia | 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1960 | Neale Fraser (2) | Rod Laver | Australia | 6-4, 6-4, 9-7 |
| 1961 | Roy Emerson | Rod Laver | Australia | 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1962 | Rod Laver | Roy Emerson | Australia | 6-2, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 |
| 1963 | Rafael Osuna | Frank Froehling | Mexico | 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 |
| 1964 | Roy Emerson (2) | Fred Stolle | Australia | 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1965 | Manuel Santana | Cliff Drysdale | Spain | 6-2, 7-9, 7-5, 6-1 |
| 1966 | Fred Stolle | John Newcombe | Australia | 4-6, 12-10, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1967 | John Newcombe | Clark Graebner | Australia | 6-4, 6-4, 8-6 |
US Open – men’s singles winners in Open Era
The game changed once we moved into the Open Era and started including professional players as well. From these, the most number of titles in the US Open (Open Era) belongs to the one and only Swiss legend, Roger Federer, who who has a total of five titles at this hard court venue, and winning them consecutively between 2004-2008. He made the final on two more occasions after that in 2009 and 2015.
While no one has 5 consecutive wins in the Open Era, there are two other players who have five US Open titles in Jimmy Connors (1974, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1983) and Pete Sampras (1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2002). We also want to make a special mention for Ivan Lendl who made a record eight consecutive finals between 1982-1989, of which he ended up winning three titles too.
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Nationality | Final Score |
| 1968 | Arthur Ashe | Tom Okker | USA | 14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 |
| 1969 | Rod Laver (2) | Tony Roche | Australia | 7-9, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 |
| 1970 | Ken Rosewall (2) | Tony Roche | Australia | 2-6, 6-4, 7-6, 6-3 |
| 1971 | Stan Smith | Jan Kodeš | USA | 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 |
| 1972 | Ilie Năstase | Arthur Ashe | Romania | 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1973 | John Newcombe (2) | Jan Kodeš | Australia | 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 |
| 1974 | Jimmy Connors | Ken Rosewall | USA | 6-1, 6-0, 6-1 |
| 1975 | Manuel Orantes | Jimmy Connors | Spain | 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1976 | Jimmy Connors (2) | Björn Borg | USA | 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 1977 | Guillermo Vilas | Jimmy Connors | Argentina | 2-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-0 |
| 1978 | Jimmy Connors (3) | Björn Borg | USA | 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 |
| 1979 | John McEnroe | Vitas Gerulaitis | USA | 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 1980 | John McEnroe (2) | Björn Borg | USA | 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4 |
| 1981 | John McEnroe (3) | Björn Borg | USA | 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1982 | Jimmy Connors (4) | Ivan Lendl | USA | 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 |
| 1983 | Jimmy Connors (5) | Ivan Lendl | USA | 6-3, 6-7, 7-5, 6-0 |
| 1984 | John McEnroe (4) | Ivan Lendl | USA | 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 |
| 1985 | Ivan Lendl | John McEnroe | Czechoslovakia | 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 1986 | Ivan Lendl (2) | Miloslav Mečíř | Czechoslovakia | 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 |
| 1987 | Ivan Lendl (3) | Mats Wilander | Czechoslovakia | 6-7, 6-0, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 1988 | Mats Wilander | Ivan Lendl | Sweden | 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 |
| 1989 | Boris Becker | Ivan Lendl | West Germany | 7-6, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 |
| 1990 | Pete Sampras | Andre Agassi | USA | 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 1991 | Stefan Edberg | Jim Courier | Sweden | 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 |
| 1992 | Stefan Edberg (2) | Pete Sampras | Sweden | 3-6, 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 |
| 1993 | Pete Sampras (2) | Cédric Pioline | USA | 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 1994 | Andre Agassi | Michael Stich | USA | 6-1, 7-6, 7-5 |
| 1995 | Pete Sampras (3) | Andre Agassi | USA | 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 |
| 1996 | Pete Sampras (4) | Michael Chang | USA | 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 |
| 1997 | Patrick Rafter | Greg Rusedski | Australia | 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 |
| 1998 | Patrick Rafter (2) | Mark Philippoussis | Australia | 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 |
| 1999 | Andre Agassi (2) | Todd Martin | USA | 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2000 | Marat Safin | Pete Sampras | Russia | 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 2001 | Lleyton Hewitt | Pete Sampras | Australia | 7-6, 6-1, 6-1 |
| 2002 | Pete Sampras (5) | Andre Agassi | USA | 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 |
| 2003 | Andy Roddick | Juan Carlos Ferrero | USA | 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 |
| 2004 | Roger Federer | Lleyton Hewitt | Switzerland | 6-0, 7-6, 6-0 |
| 2005 | Roger Federer (2) | Andre Agassi | Switzerland | 6-3, 2-6, 7-6, 6-1 |
| 2006 | Roger Federer (3) | Andy Roddick | Switzerland | 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 |
| 2007 | Roger Federer (4) | Novak Djokovic | Switzerland | 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 |
| 2008 | Roger Federer (5) | Andy Murray | Switzerland | 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 |
| 2009 | Juan Martín del Potro | Roger Federer | Argentina | 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 |
| 2010 | Rafael Nadal | Novak Djokovic | Spain | 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 |
| 2011 | Novak Djokovic | Rafael Nadal | Serbia | 6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 |
| 2012 | Andy Murray | Novak Djokovic | Great Britain | 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 |
| 2013 | Rafael Nadal (2) | Novak Djokovic | Spain | 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 |
| 2014 | Marin Cilic | Kei Nishikori | Croatia | 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 2015 | Novak Djokovic (2) | Roger Federer | Serbia | 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 2016 | Stan Wawrinka | Novak Djokovic | Switzerland | 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 |
| 2017 | Rafael Nadal (3) | Kevin Anderson | Spain | 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 2018 | Novak Djokovic (3) | Juan Martin del Potro | Serbia | 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 |
| 2019 | Rafael Nadal (4) | Daniil Medvedev | Spain | 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 |
| 2020 | Dominic Thiem | Alexander Zverev | Austria | 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 |
| 2021 | Daniil Medvedev | Novak Djokovic | Russia | 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 2022 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
For more updates from the US Open tennis championships and the rest of the world of sports and tennis, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com.
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