The 14 countries to produce a US Open men’s singles champion in Open Era
The Open Era has seen several great men’s champions rise and seal Grand Slam success, particularly at the US Open.
We look back at the 14 different nations that have produced a US Open men’s singles champion in the professional age.
United States – 7
No country has dominated tennis history quite like America, and seven players have won their home Grand Slam in the Open Era.
Leading the way are Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras, who both won five titles, while John McEnroe was a four-time champion at his most successful major.
Andre Agassi was a two-time champion in the 1990s, while Arthur Ashe was the first winner of the Open Era, and Stan Smith lifted the title in 1971.
The last winner was Andy Roddick, who lifted the title in 2003.
Australia – 5
Another dominant force throughout tennis history, five different Australian men have won the title in New York in the professional age.
Only one Australian has won the tournament multiple times in the Open Era, with Patrick Rafter lifting back-to-back titles in 1997 and 1998.
Tennis icons Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, and John Newcombe all lifted the title early in the professional age, while Lleyton Hewitt was the nation’s most recent champion in 2001.
Spain – 3
Spanish tennis has largely been defined by one man: Rafael Nadal.
Outside of Roland Garros, the US Open has been the former world No 1’s most successful major, winning the title four times.
However, he was not the first Spaniard to lift the title – with Manuel Orantes winning his sole Slam title at the event in 1975.
Orantes and Nadal were joined in 2022 by Carlos Alcaraz, who won his first major in New York two years ago.
Argentina – 2
Argentina is one of four countries to produce two champions, with those two victors coming 32 years apart.
The first Argentine to lift the men’s singles title was Guillermo Vilas in 1977, and his feat was emulated by Juan Martin del Potro in 2009.
Sweden – 2
Sweden has produced an array of talented players in recent decades, and two different men have lifted the title in New York.
Mats Wilander won his final Grand Slam title at the tournament in 1988, before Stefan Edberg sealed back-to-back victories in 1991 and 1992.
Surprisingly, Bjorn Borg never lifted the title – losing four finals across the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Russia – 2
Russia produced the first US Open champion of the 21st century in 2000 when Marat Safin won the first of his two major titles.
His run was matched 21 years later by Daniil Medvedev, who lifted the title in 2021 for what is so far his only Grand Slam triumph.
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Switzerland – 2
From a tennis perspective, Switzerland is most famous for Roger Federer, who won five straight US Open titles in the mid-2000s.
But he is not the only champion the nation has produced, with Stan Wawrinka winning his third major at Flushing Meadows in 2016.
Romania – 1
Ilie Nastase remains the only Romanian man to win a Grand Slam singles title, winning two majors.
The first of those victories came at the US Open, becoming the first European man to lift the title in the Open Era with his triumph in 1972.
Czech Republic – 1
One of the greatest US Open players in history, Ivan Lendl’s run of eight consecutive finals at the event is a record unlikely to be broken any time soon.
He was the winner of the title on three occasions, sealing three consecutive victories from 1985 to 1987.
Germany – 1
Germany’s most successful male player of the Open Era is Boris Becker, the winner of six Grand Slam singles titles.
Coupled with three Wimbledon and two Australian Open victories, he sealed his sole US Open title in 1989.
Serbia – 1
No prizes for guessing who Serbia’s one US Open champion is.
Novak Djokovic is a four-time champion in the city that never sleeps, claiming the title for the first time in 2011 – and winning it for a fourth time a year ago.
Great Britain – 1
The recently retired Andy Murray’s pathway to greatness well and truly started in New York 12 years ago.
After falling 0-4 in major finals, the Brit won his first of three majors at the US Open in 2012, ending a 76-year wait for a British men’s singles champion.
Croatia – 1
A decade on, Marin Cilic remains one of the most surprising US Open champions in modern history.
The Croatian was the 14th seed back in 2014 but did not drop a set from the quarter-final onwards as he stormed to the title.
Austria – 1
After three previous major final defeats, Dominic Thiem finally claimed his first – and only – major title in 2020.
Thiem became the second Austrian to win a Grand Slam title, and four years on will bid his farewell to Grand Slam tennis at Flushing Meadows this year.
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