On this day in 1881, the US Open begins
August 31,1881, the inaugural U.S. National Championship took place at the Newport Casino in Newport, Rhode Island.
In the first year of the tennis championships only clubs that were members of the United States National Lawn Tennis Association were permitted to enter.
The championship was initially an only men’s singles and doubles championship. That status quo shifted over the next decade to incorporate a women’s singles competition in 1887, women’s doubles in 1889, and mixed doubles in 1892.
In 1968, the name of the competition was changed to the now popular U.S Open. It is the chronologically the fourth Grand Slam of the year and the only Grand Slam that was not affected by cancellation due to World War I and World War II, or interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
US Open Facts:
Founded
August 13, 1881; 142 years ago
Renamed
1968
Location
New York City
United States
Venue
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (since 1978)
Surface
Grass court – outdoors (1881–1974)
Clay court – outdoors (1975–1977)
Hard court – outdoors (since 1978)
Prize money
US$65,000,020 (2023)
RECORDS
Current Champions
Men
Carlos Alcaraz (singles)
Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury (doubles)
Women
Iga Świątek (singles)
Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková (doubles)
(Mixed Doubles)
Storm Hunter
John Peers
Most Singles Titles (Male)
Amateur Era (7 Titles)
Richard Sears 1881–87
William Larned 1901–02, 1907–11
Bill Tilden 1920–25, 1929
Open Era (5 Titles)
Jimmy Connors: 1974, 1976, 1978, 1982–83
Pete Sampras: 1990, 1993, 1995–96, 2002
Roger Federer: 2004–08
Most Singles titles (Female)
Amateur Era (8 Titles)
Molla Mallory: 1915–18, 1920–22, 1926
Open Era (6 Titles)
Chris Evert: 1975–78, 1980, 1982
Serena Williams: 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012–14
Most consecutive Singles Titles (Male)
Amateur Era (7 Titles)
Richard Sears: 1881–87
Open Era (5 Titles)
Roger Federer: 2004–08
Most Consecutive Singles Titles (Female)
Amateur Era (4 Titles)
Molla Mallory: 1915–18
Helen Jacobs: 1932–35
Open Era
Chris Evert: 1975–78
Most Doubles Titles (Male)
Amateur Era (6 Titles)
Richard Sears: 1882–84, 1886–87 with James Dwight, 1885 with Joseph Clark
Holcombe Ward 1899–1901 with Dwight F. Davis, 1904–06 with Beals Wright.
Open Era (6 Titles)
Mike Bryan: 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 with Bob Bryan: 2018 with Jack Sock
Most Doubles Titles (Female)
Amateur Era (13 Titles)
Margaret Osborne duPont, 1941 with Sarah Palfrey Cooke, 1942–50, 1955–57 with Louise Brough
Open Era (9 Titles)
Martina Navratilova 1977 with Betty Stöve,1978, 1980 with Billie Jean King,1983–84, 1986–87 with Pam Shriver, 1989 with Hana Mandlíková, 1990 with Gigi Fernández
Most Consecutive Doubles Titles (Male)
Amateur Era (6 Titles)
Richard Sears: 1882–87
Open Era (2 Titles)
Todd Woodbridge: 1995–96
Mark Woodforde: 1995–96
Rajeev Ram: 2021–22
Joe Salisbury: 2021–22
Most Consecutive Doubles Titles (Female)
Amateur Era (10 Titles)
Margaret Osborne duPont 1941 with Sarah Palfrey Cooke, 1942–50 with Louise Brough
Open Era (3 Titles)
Ruano Pascual: 2002–04
Paola Suárez: 2002–04
Most Mixed Doubles Titles (Male)
Amateur Era (4 Titles)
Edwin P. Fischer 1894–96 with Juliette Atkinson, 1898 with Carrie Neely.
F. Johnson 1907 with May Sayers;1909, 1911, 1915 with Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman
Bill Tilden 1913–14 with Mary Browne,1922–23 with Molla Mallory
Bill Talbert 1943–46 with Margaret Osborne duPont
Open Era (4 Titles)
Owen Davidson 1966 with Donna Floyd;1967, 1971, 1973 with Billie Jean King
Marty Riessen 1969–70, 1972 with Margaret Court,1980 with Wendy Turnbull
Bob Bryan 2003 with Katarina Srebotnik,2004 with Vera Zvonareva,2006 with Martina Navratilova,2010 with Liezel Huber
Most Mixed Doubles Titles (Female)
Amateur Era(9 Titles)
Margaret Osborne duPont 1943–46 with Bill Talbert,1950 with Ken McGregor,1956 with Ken Rosewall,1958–60 with Neale Fraser
Open Era(3 Titles)
Margaret Court 1969–70, 1972 with Marty Riessen
Jean King 1971, 1973 with Owen Davidson,1976 with Phil Dent
Martina Navratilova 1985 with Heinz Günthardt,1987 with Emilio Sánchez,2006 with Bob Bryan
Most Championships for Male(Singles, Doubles & Mixed Doubles)
Amateur Era(16 Titles)
Bill Tilden 1913–29 (7 Singles, 5 Doubles, 4 Mixed Doubles)
Open Era(9 Titles)
Bob Bryan 2003–14 (5 Doubles, 4 Mixed Doubles)
Most Championships for Female(Singles, Doubles & Mixed Doubles)
Amateur Era(25 Titles)
Margaret Osborne duPont 1941–60 (3 Singles, 13 Doubles, 9 Mixed Doubles)
Open Era(16 Titles)
Martina Navratilova 16 1977–2006 (4 Singles, 9 Doubles, 3 Mixed Doubles)
Miscellaneous
Unseeded champions
Men
Andre Agassi 1994
Women
Kim Clijsters 2009
Sloane Stephens 2017
Emma Raducanu 2021(the only qualifier to win a major title)
Youngest singles champion
Men
Pete Sampras 19 years and 1 month (1990)
Women
Tracy Austin 16 years and 8 months (1979)
Oldest singles champion
Men
William Larned 38 years and 8 months (1911)
Women
Molla Mallory 42 years and 5 months (1926)
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