The US Open Men’s Singles event was first held in 1881.
Richard Sears won the first seven editions of the event from 1881 to 1887.
Sears’ dominance came to an end in 1888 when he withdrew from his final against compatriot Henry Slocum.
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Americans won the event every year until 1903, when a British athlete lifted the title.
Laurence Doherty
Doherty was one of the most successful players in British tennis history.
Born in Wimbledon, Doherty won five Wimbledon titles and one US Open title during his trophy-laden career.
Doherty’s sole US Open triumph occurred in 1903.
The Briton defeated C.M. Relyea, M.B. Colket, Richard Stevens, Harold Mahony, Reginald Doherty, Richard Carleton, and Williams Clothier en route to the challenge round [the final].
Doherty triumphed against defending champion Williams Larned, winning 6-0, 6-3, 10-8.
Fred Perry
Perry remains one of the most iconic figures in British sporting history.
Upon retiring from his playing career in 1959, Perry had amassed 14 Grand Slam titles across singles and doubles.
Three of those 14 titles were won in the US Open Men’s Singles event.
Perry won the US major in 1933, 1934, and 1936, beating Jack Crawford, Wilmer Allison, and Don Budge in the respective finals.
Perry also won the US Open Mixed Doubles event in 1932.
| Year | Opponent in final | Score |
| 1933 | Jack Crawford | 6–3, 11–13, 4–6, 6–0, 6–1 |
| 1934 | Wilmer Allison | 6–4, 6–3, 3–6, 1–6, 8–6 |
| 1936 | Don Budge | 2–6, 6–2, 8–6, 1–6, 10–8 |
Andy Murray
Murray ended Great Britain’s 76-year wait for a men’s Grand Slam singles champion upon triumphing at the 2012 US Open.
Murray survived a courageous fightback from Novak Djokovic to win 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 in the final.
“When I realised I had won, I was a little bit shocked, I was very relieved and I was very emotional,” Murray said after claiming the historic victory.
“They were incredibly tricky conditions,” he later added.
“Novak is so strong, he fights until the end of every match, and I don’t know how I managed to come through in the end.”
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Murray went on to win two more Grand Slam titles before his retirement in 2024: Wimbledon 2013 and 2016.
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