The Open Era was established in 1968.
The transformative alteration to the infrastructure of tennis resulted in professional players being allowed to compete at Grand Slam events alongside amateurs for the first time in tennis history.
Many of the greatest tennis players in history have won the US Open since the dawn of the Open Era: including Jimmy Connors, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
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Various Australian superstars have lifted the US Open trophy since 1968 – seven individuals in total.
From Margaret Court to Sam Stosur: the seven Australian US Open champions of the Open Era
Margaret Court became the first Australian US Open champion of the Open Era when she triumphed 6–2, 6–2 against Nancy Richey in the 1969 final.
Court, a 24-time major singles champion, also won the title in 1962, 1965, 1970, and 1973.
Rod Laver became the first Australian man to win a US Open singles title the very same year when he beat compatriot Tony Roche in the showpiece men’s singles event.
Ken Rosewall joined Laver a year later, again defeating Roche in the final.
John Newcombe added his name to the Australian list when he beat Jan Kodes 6–4, 1–6, 4–6, 6–2, 6–3 in the 1973 men’s singles final.
Around 24 years passed before another Australian US Open champion was crowned.
Pat Rafter ended Australia’s barren run at the event, winning the men’s title in 1997 and 1998.
Lleyton Hewitt achieved his own US Open history three years after Rafter’s 1998 triumph, beating Pete Sampras in the 2001 final.
Sam Stosur became the seventh and last Australian US Open singles champion of the Open Era. In 2011, she defeated Serena Williams 6–2, 6–3 to win the women’s singles title.
Australian US Open singles champions in the Open Era
- Margaret Court – 1969, 1970, 1973
- Rod Laver – 1969
- Ken Rosewall – 1970
- John Newcombe – 1973
- Pat Rafter – 1997, 1998
- Lleyton Hewitt – 2001
- Sam Stosur – 2011
The first Australian US Open champion in tennis history
Jack Crawford became the first Australian to reach the final of a US Open singles event in 1933.
Fred Perry, from Great Britain, beat Crawford 6–3, 11–13, 4–6, 6–0, 6–1 in the final.
Five years later, Nancye Wynne Bolton qualified for the final of the women’s singles event.
Australia’s wait for a champion continued following Bolton’s straight sets defeat to Alice Marble.
Frank Sedgman ended Australia’s wait for a champion in 1951, beating Vic Seixas in the final. Sedgman also won the title in 1952, the Australian Open in 1949 and 1950, and Wimbledon in 1952.
Margaret Court became the first female Australian to win a US Open singles title in 1962.
