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The US Open is one of the most important sporting events of each season. In 1881 the United States was emerging from the Civil War between North and South, but in the meantime the National Lawn Tennis Association was formed in 1881.
A few years later, it becomes the USTA. On August 31, 1881, the association organized the first edition of the United States National Championships in Newport, Rhode Island. The change of surface was one of the most important moments of the American Slam; From 1881 to 1974 (ninety-three years), the US Open was held on grass courts. From grass, the tournament moved to clay for two years (1975–1977).
It was from the 1978 edition that the New York Slam took place on hard courts. The historic route from Forest Hills to Flushing Meadows was preceded by the exploits of Rod Laver, Billie Jean King, Margaret Smith, Ilie Nastase, Ivonne Goolagong, Virginia Wade, John Newcomb and Ken Roswell.
Between the 1970s and 1980s, tennis experienced another golden age, Thanks to champions like John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova and Boris Becker who competed on the hard courts at Flushing Meadows.
Richard Sears won the first competition, defeating William Glynn in the final. After this win, he would retain the title six more times! In the first three decades of the twentieth century, there were the legends of Bill Tilden and the French composers Jean Borotra, Henri Cochet, René Lacoste and Jacques Brugnon, followed by the Briton Fred Perry. American stars signed on in the following years; Don Budge, Elizabeth Ryan, Bobby Riggs and Helen Wills Moody.
After the Second World War, first American occupation, then Australia’s occupation. With the advent of the Open era, Arthur Ashe was the first African-American tennis player to claim victory in an unforgettable final against Tom Oker.
Rivalries between Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras and Monica Seles and Steffi Graf characterized the 1990s.The rise of the Big Three in the new millennium Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, and among the women Serena Williams, her sister Venus and Maria Sharapova.
There have been incredible surprises between these giants, such as the victory of Juan Martin de Potro in 2009, the victory of Andy Murray in 2012, the 2014 final between Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori or the all-Italian final between Flavia Pennetta and Roberta Vinci, 2015 In. Since 2016, Arthur Ashe Stadium’s new retractable roof has been the latest technical marvel of an ever-evolving tournament that has always sought to maintain the high technical and organizational level of the Australian Open and Wimbledon. In 2022, Carlos Alcaraz made history by winning his first slam title against Casper Rude.
Inga Swiatek wins her first title in New York after victory at Roland Garros: a new era has begun.