| US Open | ||
|---|---|---|
| Official web | ||
| Location | New York City - Queens United States |
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| Venue | USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center | |
| Surface | Grass - outdoors (1881–1974) Clay - outdoors (1975–1977) DecoTurf - outdoors (1978–present) |
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| Men's draw | 128S / 128Q / 64D | |
| Women's draw | 128S / 96Q / 64D | |
| Prize money | US$21,016,000 | |
| Grand Slam | ||
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| Current | ||
| 2011 US Open (tennis) | ||
The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881. Since 1987, the US Open has been chronologically the fourth and final tennis major comprising the Grand Slam each year; the other three are the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon. It is held annually in August and September over a two-week period (the weeks before and after Labor Day weekend). The main tournament consists of five different event championships: men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles, with additional tournaments for senior, junior, and wheelchair players. Since 1978, the tournament has been played on acrylic hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, New York City.
The US Open has tiebreaks in every set, including the last set. The other three Grand Slam tournaments have tiebreaks in every set other than the last set (i.e. the fifth set for men and third set for women), and therefore their last set continues indefinitely until a two-game lead is reached.
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The US Open has grown from an exclusive entertainment event for high society to a championship for more than 600 male and female professional players who, as of 2008, compete for total prize money of over US$21 million, with $1.5 million for each winner of the singles tournaments.
In the first few years of the United States National Championship, only men competed. The tournament was first held in August 1881 at the Newport Casino, Newport, Rhode Island and in that first year only clubs that were members of the United States National Lawn Tennis Association were permitted to enter. From 1884 through 1911, the tournament used a challenge system whereby the defending champion automatically qualified for the next year's final. In 1915, the tournament moved to the West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills, New York. From 1921 through 1923, it was played at the Germantown Cricket Club in Philadelphia and returned to Forest Hills in 1924.[1]
Six years after the men's nationals were first held, the first official U.S. Women's National Singles Championship was held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in 1887, accompanied by the U.S. Women's National Doubles Championship (not held for the next two years) and U.S. Mixed Doubles Championship (not held in 1899). Between 1890 and 1906 sectional tournaments were held in the east and the west of the country to determine the best two teams, which competed in a play-off to see who would play the defending champions in the challenge round.[1]
The open era began in 1968 when all five events were merged into the US Open, held at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York. The 1968 combined tournament was open to professionals for the first time. That year, 96 men and 63 women entered the event, and prize money totaled $100,000 ($631,286 today).
In 1970, the US Open became the first of the Grand Slam tournaments to use a tiebreak at the end of a set. The US Open is also the only Grand Slam that continues to use the tiebreak in the 5th set. All the other three grand slams play it out with service games in the 5th set.
Jimmy Connors is the only individual to have won US Open singles titles on all three surfaces (grass, clay, hardcourt), while Chris Evert is the only woman to win on two surfaces.
In 2006, the US Open was changed to implement instant replay reviews of calls, using the Hawk-Eye computer system. Each player was allowed three challenges per set plus one additional challenge during a tiebreak. The player keeps all existing challenges if the challenge is successful. If the challenge is unsuccessful and the original ruling is upheld, the player loses a challenge. Instant replay was initially available only on the stadium courts (Ashe and Armstrong), until it became available on the Grandstand in 2009.
Once a challenge is made, the official review (a 3-D computer simulation based on multiple high-speed video cameras) is shown to the players, umpires, and audience on the stadium video boards and to the television audience at the same time. The system is said to be accurate to within five millimetres.
During the 2006 US Open, 30.5% of men's challenges and 35.85% of women's challenges were overturned.[2] During the 2007 US Open, 95 challenges were overturned - or 30.6%.
In 2007, JP Morgan Chase renewed its sponsorship of the US Open. As part of its sponsorship arrangement, Chase renamed the tournament's replay system the "Chase Review" on in-stadium video and television.[3]
The DecoTurf surface at the US Open is a fast surface, having slightly less friction and producing a lower bounce compared to other hard courts (most notably the Rebound Ace surface formerly used at the Australian Open). For this reason, many serve-and-volley players have found success at the US Open.
The main court is located at the 22,547-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium, opened in 1997. It is named after Arthur Ashe, the African American tennis player who won the men's final of the inaugural US Open in 1968. The next largest court is Louis Armstrong Stadium, opened in 1978, extensively renovated from the original Singer Bowl. It was the main stadium from 1978–96, and its peak capacity neared 18,000 seats, but was reduced to 10,200 after the opening of Arthur Ashe Stadium. The third largest court is the 6,000-seat Grandstand Stadium, attached to the Louis Armstrong Stadium. In 2011, Court 17 was opened as a fourth show court, with large television screens and electronic line calling which allows player challenges. Sunken into the ground, it has been nicknamed "The Pit". It initially held 2,500 with temporary stands, but will allow over 3,000 fans after its completion in 2012. It is located in the southwest corner of the grounds.[4] Sidecourts 4, 7, and 11 each have a seating capacity of over 1,000.
All the courts used by the US Open are lighted, meaning that television coverage of the tournament can extend into prime time to attract higher ratings. This has recently been used to the advantage of USA Network—and now, ESPN2—on cable and especially for CBS, the American broadcast television outlet for the tournament for many years, which used its influence to move the women's singles final to Saturday night to draw better television ratings.
In 2005, all US Open (and US Open Series) tennis courts were given blue inner courts to make it easier to see the ball on television; the outer courts remained green.
The USTA National Tennis Center was renamed in honor of four-time tournament champion and tennis pioneer Billie Jean King during the 2006 US Open.
The total prize money for the 2011 US Open (in US dollars) is divided as follows:
| Winners (2011)[5] | $1,800,000 |
| Runners-up (2011)[5] | $900,000 |
| Semifinalists (2011)[5] | $450,000 |
| Quarterfinalists (2011)[5] | $225,000 |
| Round of 16 | $110,000 |
| Third Round | $55,000 |
| Second Round | $31,000 |
| First Round | $19,000 |
| Total | $8,468,000 |
| Winners | $420,000 |
| Runners-Up | $210,000 |
| Semifinalists | $105,000 |
| Quarterfinalists | $50,000 |
| Round of 16 | $25,000 |
| Second Round | $15,000 |
| First Round | $10,000 |
| Total | $1,800,000 ($3,600,000) |
| Winners | $150,000 |
| Runners-Up | $70,000 |
| Semifinalists | $30,000 |
| Quarterfinalists | $15,000 |
| Second Round | $10,000 |
| First Round | $5,000 |
| Total | $500,000 |
| Third Round Losers (16) | $8,000 |
| Second Round Losers (32) | $5,625 |
| First Round Losers (64) | $3,000 |
| Total | $500,000 ($1,000,000) |
| Total Championship Events | $22,063,000 |
| Total for Champions Invitational | $410,000 |
| Player per diem | $1,272,000 |
| Total Player Compensation | $23,718,000 |
Ranking points for the ATP and WTA have varied at the US Open through the years but presently singles players receive the following points:
| ATP | WTA | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Round | 10 | 5 |
| 2nd Round | 45 | 100 |
| 3rd Round | 90 | 160 |
| 4th Round | 180 | 280 |
| Quarter Finalist | 360 | 500 |
| Semi Finalist | 720 | 900 |
| Runner Up | 1200 | 1400 |
| Champion | 2000 | 2000 |
| Event | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Men's Singles | Novak Djokovic | Rafael Nadal | 6–2, 6–4, 6–7(3–7), 6–1 |
| 2011 Women's Singles | Samantha Stosur | Serena Williams | 6–2, 6–3 |
| 2011 Men's Doubles | Jürgen Melzer Philipp Petzschner |
Mariusz Fyrstenberg Marcin Matkowski |
6–2, 6–2 |
| 2011 Women's Doubles | Liezel Huber Lisa Raymond |
Vania King Yaroslava Shvedova |
4–6, 7–6(7–5), 7–6(7–3) |
| 2011 Mixed Doubles | Melanie Oudin Jack Sock |
Gisela Dulko Eduardo Schwank |
7–6(7–4), 4–6, [10–8] |
| Record | Era | Player(s) | Count | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men since 1881 | ||||
| Winner of most Men's Singles titles |
Before 1968: | Richard Sears Bill Larned Bill Tilden |
7 | 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887 1901, 1902, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1929 |
| After 1967: | Jimmy Connors Pete Sampras Roger Federer |
5 | 1974, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1983 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2002 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 |
|
| Winner of most consecutive Men's Singles titles |
Before 1968: | Richard Sears | 7 | 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887 |
| After 1967: | Roger Federer | 5 | 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 | |
| Winner of most Men's Doubles titles |
Before 1968: | Richard Sears James Dwight |
6 | 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887 |
| After 1967: | Bob Lutz Stan Smith John McEnroe |
4 | 1968, 1974, 1978, 1980 1968, 1974, 1978, 1980 1979, 1981, 1983, 1989 |
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| Winner of most consecutive Men's Doubles titles |
Before 1968: | Richard Sears James Dwight |
6 | 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887 |
| After 1967: | Todd Woodbridge Mark Woodforde |
2 | 1995, 1996 1995, 1996 |
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| Winner of most Mixed Doubles titles - Men |
Before 1968: | Bill Tilden Bill Talbert |
4 | 1913, 1914, 1922, 1923 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946 |
| After 1967: | Todd Woodbridge Bob Bryan |
3 | 1990, 1993, 2001 2003, 2004, 2006 |
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| Winner of most Championships (total: singles, men's doubles, mixed doubles) - Men |
Before 1968: | Bill Tilden | 16 | 1913–1929 (7 singles, 5 men's doubles, 4 mixed doubles) |
| After 1967: | John McEnroe | 8 | 1979–1989 (4 singles, 4 men's doubles) | |
| Women since 1887 | ||||
| Winner of most Women's Singles titles |
Before 1968: | / Molla Bjurstedt Mallory | 8 | 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1926 |
| After 1967: | Chris Evert | 6 | 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982 | |
| Winner of most consecutive Women's Singles titles |
Before 1968: | / Molla Bjurstedt Mallory Helen Jacobs |
4 | 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935 |
| After 1967: | Chris Evert | 4 | 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 | |
| Winner of most Women's Doubles titles |
Before 1968: | Margaret Osborne duPont | 13 | 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1957 |
| After 1967: | Martina Navrátilová | 9 | 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990 | |
| Winner of most consecutive Women's Doubles titles |
Before 1968: | Margaret Osborne duPont | 10 | 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950 |
| After 1967: | Virginia Ruano Pascual Paola Suárez |
3 | 2002, 2003, 2004 2002, 2003, 2004 |
|
| Winner of most Mixed Doubles titles - Women |
All-time: | Margaret Osborne duPont Margaret Court |
8 | 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1958, 1959, 1960 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1972 |
| Before 1968: | Margaret Osborne duPont | 8 | 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1958, 1959, 1960 | |
| After 1967: | Margaret Court Billie Jean King Martina Navrátilová |
3 | 1969, 1970, 1972 1971, 1973, 1976 1985, 1987, 2006 |
|
| Winner of most Championships (total: singles, women's doubles, mixed doubles) - women |
All-time: | Margaret Osborne duPont Margaret Court |
25 18 |
1941–1960 (3 singles, 13 women's doubles, 9 mixed doubles) 1961-1975 (5 singles, 5 women's doubles, 8 mixed doubles) |
| Before 1968: | Margaret Osborne duPont | 25 | 1941–1960 (3 singles, 13 women's doubles, 9 mixed doubles) | |
| After 1967: | Martina Navrátilová | 16 | 1977–2006 (4 singles, 9 women's doubles, 3 mixed doubles) | |
| Miscellaneous | ||||
| Youngest winner(single) | Men: | Pete Sampras | 19 years and 1 month | |
| Women: | Tracy Austin | 16 years and 8 months | ||
| Preceded by Wimbledon |
Grand Slam Tournament August–September |
Succeeded by Australian Open |
| Preceded by New Haven |
US Open Series July–September |
Succeeded by None |
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