US Open Tennis History

 

US Open Tennis History Overview

The roots of today's US Open Championships developed from two separate events : the Mens Tournament and the Womens Tournament - the origin of US open tennis history. In the year of 1881 (precisely in August of that year) brought for the very first event in the Mens Tournament at the Newport Casino - first event in the US open tennis history. It's interesting that the tournament history originates at a Casino, as the wsop and Tennis couldn't be further apart today. The Championship was recognized as the US National Singles Championship for men and only members would be competent to play. In the year of 1887 the US Womens national Singles Championship introduced at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Two years later, in 1889 the US Womens national Doubles Championship was held along with US Mixed Doubles Championship.In the year of 1968 began the first US Open Championships and for the first time in the history and for the previous tournaments professionals were allowed to compete. US Open Championships was initially played on grass 'till 1975 changed surface to clay. Another surface change was in the 1978 when US Open start to play on the hard courts surface and today still playing on hard court surface.
                                    

US Open Tennis History Through The Years

1881 ▪ USNLTA FOUNDED; THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ▪ RICHARD DICK SEARS ▪ The United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) is founded, and the first U.S. Championships are played. The forerunner of the US Open, National Champinoship was restricted to american residents only. The very first winner was Dick Sears (better in finals of Wiliam Glyn with 6-0 6-3 6-2), and the National Championship was held at the Newport Casino, Rhode Island.
1887 ▪ WOMENS INTRODUCED ▪ ELLEN HANSELL ▪ US Womens National Singles Championship introduced for the very first time and took place at Philadelphia Cricket Club. The very first Womens Champion was Ellen Forde Hansell Alderice. In finals she was beat Laura Knight with 6-1 6-0. Dick Sears won his 7th title(and last) on US National Championships in the row.
1888 ▪ BERTHA TOWNSEND; MIXED DOUBLES INTRODUCED ▪ Bertha Townsend win her first title over Ellen Hansell in finals with 6-3 6-5. That was her first of two titles on National Womens Championship. M. Wright and J. S. Clark were the very first Champions of US National Mixed Double Championship.
1889 ▪ WOMENS DOUBLES INTRODUCED ▪ Margarette Ballard and Bertha Townsend were the very first US National Womens Doubles Champions.
1903 ▪ LAWRENCE DOHERTY ▪ Lawrence Doherty of Great Britain was the first International Champion of Mens Singles National Championship.
1911 ▪ WILIAM LARNED ▪ Wiliam Larned of United States became chamipon for the 7th time. In final he was better than Maurice Mclaughlin with 6-4 6-4 6-2.
1926 ▪ ELIZABETH BJURSTEADT MALLORY ▪ Elizabeth mallory of Norway win her 8th US National Championship title, in finals she was better than Elizabeth Ryan with 4-6 6-4 9-7.
1929 ▪ WILLIAM TATEM TILDEN II ▪ Also known as "Big Bill" ▪ US Open tennis history ▪ Bill Tilden won his 7th singles title of US National Championships.
1931 ▪ HELLEN WILLS MOODY ▪ Hellen Wills Moddy of United States win her 7th US National Championship, in finals with Eileen Bennett Whittingstall 6-4 6-1. In her carrer she won also 8 Wimbledon titles and 4 French Open titles - amazing piece of remarkable history.
                                        1968 ▪ OPEN ERA; ALL 5 EVENTS AT 1 PLACE ▪ The five major events of the US Open have been contested at nine different locations since the inception of the men's singles event in Newport. All five finally came together when the women's doubles tournament moved to the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York. For the first time professinoals were allow to compete on US Open Championships.
1975 ▪ CHANGE OF SURFACE ▪ CLAY ▪ From 1975 from new surface for US Open is clay surface (instead grass surface).
1978 ▪ NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER;NEW SURFACE HARD COURT ▪ All five US Open events moved to the US Open's current location, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York. US Open was played on new location and new official suface became hard court surface - new era in the US open tennis history.
1979 ▪ TRACY AUSTIN ▪ Tracy Austin becomes the youngest US Open champion at the age of 16 years defeating four-time defending champion Chris Evert Lloyd with 6-4 6-3 in the finals.
1982 ▪ CHRIS EVERET ▪ Chris Everet became the Womens Singles Champion for the 6th time, defeating Hana Mandlikova in the finals with 6-3 6-1.
1983 ▪ JIMMY CONNORS ▪ Jimmy Connors beat in finals Ivan Lendl with 6-3 6-7 7-5 6-0 , it was Connors's 8th (and last) Grand Slam title, and his 5th US Open Champion title in the US open tennis history.
1990 ▪ PETE SAMPRAS ▪ With only 19 years (and 28 days) becomes the youngest US Open Mens Singles Champion, defeating Andre Agassi with 6-4 6-3 6-2 in the finals.
                                     1994 ▪ ANDRE AGASSI ▪ Andre Agassi became the very first unseeded player in the US Open Era to win the US Open Mens Singles Championship.
1998 ▪ LINDSAY DAVENPORT ▪ Lindsay Davenport becomes the first U.S. born woman to capture the US Open women's singles title in 16 years, defeating Martina Hingis 6-3 7-5 in the finals.
2002 ▪ PETE SAMPRAS ▪ Pete Sampras beat Andre Agassi in finals with 6-3 6-4 5-7 6-4, it was Sampras's 14th career Grand Slam title, and his 5th US Open Champion title.
2008 ▪ ROGER FEDERER ▪ Roger Federer wins his 5th consecutive US Open Chamiponship title defeating Andy Murray at final with 6-2 7-5 6-2. He was the first after Bill Tilden 1924 to have achieved this feat.