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The US Open was established in 1881 and was the first Grand Slam to bring about equal pay between men and women competitors in 1973. Since 1987, it is played in late August and early September making it the last Grand Slam in the tennis calendar.
Newport, Forest Hills and Philadelphia were other venues where the US Open was held prior to finding its home at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, Flushing Meadows, New York. From inception till 1974, the US Open was played on grass. Richard Sears, William Larned and Bill Tilden hold the record for the most titles won at the US Open with 7 titles each.
In the Open Era, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer have won the most titles with 5 a piece with Federer winning 5 consecutive titles between 2004 to 2008.
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We take a look back at 4 Great Grand Slam champions who never lifted the US Open trophy:
#1 Michael Chang
Michael Chang was a tennis prodigy winning his first and only Grand Slam trophy at Roland Garros 1989 at the age of just 17 - a record that still stands today. With 34 titles and 662 match wins in his career, Chang was desperately unlucky to have not won a US Open title on at least two occasions.
In 1992, he was up against Swede Stefan Edberg in the semi-finals. Chang was trailing Edberg by a set going into the 4th set. He comfortably won the 4th set and forced a decider. In the deciding set, Chang was leading 3-0 and had a chance of a double-break at 15-40 in the 4th game. But things started to unravel for him as he buckled under pressure helping Edberg gain the momentum swing. Edberg won 3 successive games to level the set at 3 games all before breaking Chang decisively to close out the set 6-4.
Chang also made the finals at Flushing Meadows in 1996 only to lose to World Number 1 Pete Sampras in straight sets.
#2 Jim Courier
Former World Number 1 Jim Courier had a remarkable season in 1991. Winning the French Open for the first time, Courier beat defending champion Pete Sampras in straight sets in his quarter-final match at the US Open. He then went on to beat another American - crowd favourite 39-year old Jimmy Connors in the semi-finals. Beating two 5-time US Open champions on back-to-back occasions made his stock rise and he was the overwhelming favourite to clinch his maiden US Open title and his second Grand Slam overall. But it all unravelled for him in the finals, where he crumbled under pressure losing to Swede Stefan Edberg in straight sets.
In the final, Courier just managed to win a paltry six games. This was Courier's best chance to win at Flushing Meadows. He would go on to win 3 more Grand Slam titles but never crossed the semis at the US Open ever again.
#3 Jan Kodes
1973 Wimbledon champion, Czech Jan Kodes reached a career-high ranking of World Number 5.
During his 15 year career, he won a total of 8 top-level singles titles including 3 Grand Slam titles and 17 Doubles titles. His record at Flushing Meadows is pretty impressive even though he never won at Flushing Meadows. In 1971, Kodes beat both the top-seed John Newcombe and the third-seed Arthur Ashe before losing to eventual champion Stan Smith in the finals. In the 1973 edition of the US Open, Jan Kodes was the 6th seed. He beat Roscoe Tanner and top-seed Stan Smith in his way to the final. In the finals, he was up against his great rival John Newcombe. Despite having a two sets to one lead, Kodes couldn't capitalize as he lost in 5 sets to Newcombe.
Kodes would retire in 1983 and never made it past the semis again.
#4 Bjorn Borg
One of the game's greatest, Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg is one player who undoubtedly deserved the US Open more than any of those who missed out.
When the tournament was played in clay back in 1975, a surface well suited to Borg's liking, he missed a golden opportunity to win the title. At the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, Connors beat him in the semi-finals. The following year, the tournament was played for the final time on clay and Borg made the finals only to lose out to Jimmy Connors again in 4 sets. In 1979, Borg was the top-seed but lost in the quarterfinals to big serving Roscoe Tanner.
Come 1980. Borg had won 3 consecutive French Open and Wimbledon titles and was poised to break his US Open jinx. He had even publicly proclaimed that he felt that it was going to be his time at New York. In an epic clash against John McEnroe in the final, Borg was trailing two sets to down and it looked like the jinx would continue. Then he found a new found rhythm as he levelled the match at 2 sets a piece only to uncharacteristically lose the plot in the 5th set. Borg was up a break and had the match in control and ended up surrendering 3 of the last 4 games to hand the American the set 6-4 and the title. Borg again faced off against his great rival McEnroe in the final next year to finish runner-up again. That was his last Grand Slam as he never played professional tennis again.
