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Here’s The USTA’s Annual Post-U.S. Open Statistics Press Announcement

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As the 2025 US Open celebrated 75 years of Breaking Barriers, it also celebrated new champions and competition milestones, breaking records for attendance, viewership and digital reach, and engaging more people in tennis than ever before. Athletes received the largest player compensation in professional tennis history, and mixed doubles players competed for the first time in front of sold-out crowds as the reimagined Mixed Doubles Championship drove a two-day sellout in Arthur Ashe Stadium, with an additional 20,000 fans watching for free in Louis Armstrong Stadium.   The US Open became the most viewed tennis telecast of the year on ESPN and broke records with billions of digital interactions. Double digit growth in F&B and merchandise sales underscored fan enjoyment on the grounds over the three week tournament.   

“What we achieved together over these three incredible weeks is a reminder of the power of sport and the extraordinary potential still waiting to be unlocked in tennis. I’m deeply proud and profoundly grateful to everyone — our fans, players, partners, staff, volunteers and community leaders — who made this year’s tournament not just a celebration of tennis, but a force for good, bringing the benefits of the world’s healthiest sport to more people and places than ever before,” said Stacey Allaster, Chief Executive of Pro Tennis and US Open Tournament Director. “This year’s US Open truly embodied the spirit of ‘Spectacular,’ surpassing expectations and setting new records across the board — from fan engagement and player impact to partner success that inspired a love for tennis to grow the sport at the community level.”

Specific record-setting highlights from the 2025 US Open include:

Historic Champions and American Player On-Court Success

  • Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka each added to their growing legacies by winning the Men’s and Women’s Singles Championships. Alcaraz, at just 22, became the youngest men’s player in the Open Era to win six major singles titles. Sabalenka, meanwhile, became the first women’s player to win back-to-back US Open singles titles since Serena Williams won three in a row from 2012 to 2014.
  • Amanda Anisimova reached her second consecutive major singles final and extended the streak of American women to reach a Grand Slam singles final to five straight majors. Other notable American results included Taylor Townsend reaching the women’s doubles final for the second time in her career, as well as the women’s singles fourth round – a career-best Grand Slam singles performance, while Taylor Fritz followed up his run to the 2024 men’s singles final with an appearance in the quarterfinals. 
  • Mixed Doubles champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori; Men’s Doubles champions Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers and Women’s Doubles Champions Gabi Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe all took home $1 million as teams – record prize money for US Open doubles and mixed doubles champions.
  • This year’s Wheelchair Championships included 19-year-old Japanese wheelchair tennis star Tokito Oda winning his first US Open men’s singles title, completing the career “Golden Slam” and becoming the youngest wheelchair tennis player to accomplish the historic milestone. Elsewhere, Japan’s Yui Kamiji won her third women’s singles title, while Dutchman Niels Vink secured his second quad singles trophy. Doubles winners included: Gustavo Fernandez and Tokito Oda in the men’s, China’s Li Xiaohui and Wang Ziying in women’s, and Guy Sasson and Niels Vink in the quad division.
  • Long Island’s Jack Kennedy and Southern California’s Keaton Hance won the boys’ doubles title in an all-American matchup. In the junior wheelchair competition, Colorado’s Sabina Czauz swept the girls’ singles and doubles titles, becoming the first American to accomplish the feat since the junior wheelchair event was introduced in 2022.

Largest Player Compensation in Professional Tennis History

The USTA awarded the largest purse in professional tennis history at the 2025 US Open, making it the first tennis event to offer $90 million in total player compensation. This amount topped the total $75 million in 2024, the previous highest player compensation in tennis history, an increase of 20 percent.  Men’s and Women’s Singles Champions at the 2025 US Open each earned $5 million, up 39 percent from the $3.6 million in 2024, making it the largest winning payout in the sport.  For the first time ever, the winning teams from the Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles Championships each earned $1 million in prize money. Men’s and Women’s Doubles purses also were significantly increased in an effort to support the players competing in these championships, up 23 percent to $4.78 million from $3.89 million in 2024.  The Men’s and Women’s Qualifying tournaments’ prize money was increased to a record $8 million, up 10 percent for this year.

Sellout Crowds for the Mixed Doubles Championship for the First Time

The US Open Mixed Doubles Championship presented by Vital Proteins drew 78,000 fans to the grounds over August 19 and 20, drove a two-day sellout in Arthur Ashe Stadium, and more than 20,000 fans scanned their Fan Access Pass to watch the matches for free in Louis Armstrong Stadium on Tuesday. The new mixed doubles format averaged 343,000 viewers across ESPN/ESPN2. The two-day championship brought mixed doubles competition to more fans than ever before, airing across 17 networks in over 170 countries and territories, with 325,000 fans watching on ESPN’s properties.

Groundbreaking Attendance and Fan Access Pass Signups 

The full, three-week attendance of 1,144,562 was a 9-percent increase over 2024. This is the second consecutive year the US Open surpassed one million attendees.  Main Draw singles and men’s and women’s doubles attendance – which included 27 sessions over 15 days and the first weekend start in the Open Era – eclipsed 900,000 for the first time, with 905,255 attendees – also a 9-percent increase over 2024. Fan Week attendance (239,307) was up 10 percent.

US Open Fan Week continued to grow in fan engagement, attendance and activations. This included a record 240,000 sign-ups for US Open Fan Access Pass, giving these individuals the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities throughout the week, and the entirety of the US Open. In addition, new offerings like the US Open Silent Disco and additional programming of the US Open Fan Week Main Stage, including on-site podcasts throughout the week, bolstered the experience for those in attendance.

Most Viewed Tennis Telecast of the Year for ESPN

ESPN’s coverage of the 2025 US Open delivered standout audiences across the tournament. The 15-day event is the most-viewed tennis telecast of the year, with the Men’s Championship the highest in a decade and ESPN’s second most-viewed on record, and double-digit growth throughout all rounds. 

The Men’s Championship averaged 3 million viewers on ABC, up 82 percent vs. 2024, while the Women’s Championship averaged 2.4 million on ESPN, up 50 percent vs. 2024. The quarterfinals drew their largest audience in 10 years, and early round coverage through the Round of 16 posted its best numbers since 2022. The new Sunday start also proved a success, driving ESPN’s most-viewed Day 1 of Main Draw coverage since 2022, with audiences up nearly 83 percent year over year.

More Fans Engaged on Digital Platforms and Gaming Media than Ever Before

The US Open’s digital platforms, powered by IBM, totaled nearly 47 million visits – a 19-percent increase over 2024 – from 14 million unique devices over the event’s three weeks.  The US Open’s official social media channels achieved 3.1 billion total interactions – surpassing the 3 billion mark for the first time and growing by 34 percent over 2024.

The US Open’s video game collaborations – featured on-site at the US Open’s Advantage Arena and playable worldwide during the event – saw record numbers of players. For example, Champions of the Court on Roblox engaged over six million new players – pushing its total player count to nearly 20 million since the US Open debuted in Roblox in 2023. Champions of the Court averaged over 740,000 players per day in-event. The US Open’s activations in Fortnite engaged more than five million new players this year, with an average play time of 37 minutes per player.  Tennis Clash saw over 8.4 million matches played during the US Open.

Record Growth in Food, Beverage and Merchandise Sales

Total food and beverage sales saw a 19 percent total increase over 2024, including an all-time high 738,459 US Open Honey Deuce signature cocktails sold, representing a 32 percent increase over 2024. US Open merchandise sales also increased 27 percent year over year.

The US Open as a Platform for Growing the Game at the Grassroots Level

The USTA Foundation’s annual Opening Night Gala raised over $2.6 million to help support the more than 300 community organizations that are part of the Foundation’s flagship National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network. Andre Agassi was honored at the event with the “Serving Up Dreams” award for his efforts to give back to young people through the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education to improve public schools and invest in communities. 

The Williams Family Excellence Program was launched by the USTA Foundation in partnership with the legendary family of Venus and Serena Williams. This transformative initiative will support young people from under-resourced communities with the academic support, career pathways, and mentorship opportunities to prepare them to live their best lives both on and off the court. With a goal of reaching more than 2,500 young people ages 13 to 25 annually by the year 2035, the program will focus on post-secondary education and career development, aiming to unlock doors that too often remain closed — using tennis as a powerful catalyst for change.

Additionally, the USTA engaged nearly 1,600 kids from more than 65 different community groups from across the country to participate in its Net Generation Kids on Court program, offering kids the opportunity to play in front of fans on main competition courts.

A number of adult groups also took part in pre-match on-court activities, showcasing Red Ball Tennis throughout the event. In addition, three adaptive groups, including wheelchair participants, showcased these formats of the sport in front of the US Open crowds. Nearly 100 kids participated in pre-match coin tosses, and a select handful participated in trophy ceremonies.

Additional important milestones realized during the 2025 US Open include:

  • Record Number of Celebrities and VIP Guests: The US Open hosted a record 600-plus celebrity and VIP guests this year and integrated its ‘Blue Carpet’ arrivals as live content produced for broadcast and social channels, as well as in-venue for Finals Fan Fest.  President Trump’s visit to the Men’s Singles Final made him only the second sitting president to attend the US Open following Bill Clinton in 2000.
  • Record Crowds for Finals Fan Fest and Afterparty: The US Open took its Finals Fan Fest and Afterparty to another level with a DJ set by Grammy-nominated electronic music leaders ODESZA and TOKiMONSTA – with a crowd of almost 10,000 on the day of the women’s singles final.
  • Sponsorship Growth and Longevity: The 2025 US Open had 28 official tournament sponsors, seven of which have been US Open partners for more than 30 years. Four new partners in argenx, Clos du Bois, Dove and Vital Proteins, joined the US Open this year.
  • 75 years of Breaking the Color Barrier: The 2025 theme “75 Years of Breaking Barriers,” recognized and honored the 75th anniversary of Althea Gibson’s breaking of the sport’s color barrier at the 1950 U.S. National Championships. Illuminating this year’s theme was deeply powerful and dynamic theme art – a layered, silhouette profile of Gibson, incorporating iconic symbols emblematic of the US Open – created by Melissa Koby, the first Black theme artist in US Open history. Throughout the event, the USTA celebrated Althea Gibson’s legacy, including through on-site activations, in-stadium digital signage, and a recognition of players that followed in her footsteps and also helped to change the face of the game forever.
  • 50th Anniversary of Chris Evert Winning her First US Open Title: The US Open celebrated the legacy of Chris Evert alongside the 50th anniversary of her first US Open title in 1975. She went on to win six US Open women’s singles titles and 18 Grand Slam singles titles overall as part of her Hall-of-Fame career. Evert, who currently serves as the chairperson of the USTA Foundation and as an ESPN commentator, was recognized throughout the tournament on both US Open and ESPN platforms. In addition, she presented the champion’s trophy during the trophy ceremony for the women’s singles final, which also included a video tribute to Evert shown in stadium and across broadcast
  • 20th Anniversary of Wheelchair Tennis: The US Open celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Wheelchair Championships this year. During the tournament, the USTA was honored by the ITF with its Brad Parks Award, in recognition of the organization’s outstanding leadership and long-term commitment to developing wheelchair tennis both nationally and globally.
  • Purpose Driven Platform Unites Fans and Players Through the Power of Tennis: For the sixth consecutive year, the tournament’s purpose-driven platform “Be Open” united fans and players through the power of tennis. It engaged communities to celebrate and welcome more audiences into the sport. The platform included events, activations and panel discussions highlighting Asian American Pacific Islander culture; Latine roots; the culture, history and pride of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, via HBCU Live; the LGBTQ+ community with the ‘Open Pride;’ and our military members via Lt. Joe Hunt Military Appreciation. The US Open also provided a platform for competitors from around the globe with ambulatory impairments through its Parastanding Invitational Tournament.  The US Open hosted its third annual Champions of Equality event, honoring award-winning director, producer and screenwriter Ava DuVernay with the Billie Jean King US Open Champions of Equality award alongside a group of the game’s foremost grassroots Champions of Equality leaders from 16 USTA Sections across the country. US Open Tournament Director Stacey Allaster was honored with a Champions of Equality award in recognition of her decades of service to women’s tennis. During the event, DuVernay was joined by seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams for a panel discussion that was moderated by 2024 Champions of Equality honoree Shonda Rhimes.

This Player Not Only Got Defaulted From The Modern-Day U.S. Open But Got Suspended For Life!

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There was a feature on Tennis Channel and Tennis.com that counted down the top 10 “Biggest Hot Heads In Tennis.” As with many of these polls and rankings, mainly recent players are featured, while many players prior to the 1980s are not mentioned.

One “hot head” not featured was Cliff Richey, whose nick-name was “Bull” because of his temperament was about as subtle as a bull. A once-famous – now forgotten – episode involving Richey and his temper came at the Washington, D.C. tournament when, disputing the condition of the clay court, actually ripped up the nailed-down baseline strip of the court. Richey discusses this – and other on and off-court incidents – in his memoir “Acing Depression: The Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match.”

Before Richey, there was Dennis Ralston, who was so ill-tempered that his nick-name was “Dennis the Menace” and was once suspended from the 1961 U.S. Nationals at Forest Hills.

However, perhaps the biggest hot head that was overlooked in the poll was the only player who was banned for life from tennis due to his temper.

His name was Earl Cochell and he, like Ralston, was a former member of the University of Southern California men’s tennis team. Cochell actually received a life-time ban from tennis due mainly to an incident at the 1951 U.S. Nationals against Garnar Mulloy. Mark Young features Cochell in his book on ”Trojan Tennis Trojan Tennis: A History of the Storied Men’s Tennis Program at the University of Southern California” (for sale here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559823/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_fTOhCbTHFW8JX) and describes the incident description as follows:

A passionate competitor, Cochell was known to have a fierce temper. During a Round of 16 match at the U.S. Championships in 1951 against Gardnar Mulloy, Cochell, after splitting the first two sets, but down 4-1 in the third, decided to throw that set and save his energy to come out strong in the fourth set. When it became obvious to the crowd that he was throwing the set (he began to serve underhanded), they started to boo and heckle him. Cochell began to yell back. The chair umpire asked Cochell to “play tennis,” at which point he attempted to climb the umpire’s chair to grab the microphone. Cochell was pulled back before he could get the mike. At one point he hoisted his racket to the crowd as an extension of his middle finger.

After he lost the fourth set to Mulloy, he confronted refer Ellsworth Davenport and used such abusive language that the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association (now the USTA) banned him from tennis for life. To this day he holds the distinction of being the only tennis player to have ever been sanctioned for life by the USTA. In 1962, he was reinstated, but by that point he was no longer competitive.

Cochell’s teammate (Don) Eisenberg was surprised by the news about him when the news of his famous tantrum came out. “In 1951, I played Ed in a Palm Springs tournament and I won the first set and had a chance in the second. He could have gone off and shown his temper then but I don’t recall anything. I do remember that he was a character, would clown around a lot and had a good sense of humor. He would also would sing opera while he was walking between classes. After the Forest Hills incident, I never heard from him again.”

“Trojan Tennis: A History of the Storied Men’s Tennis Program at the University of Southern California” by USC men’s tennis historian and Marshall School of Business professor S. Mark Young, is the first-ever book about a college tennis program. Published by New Chapter Press, “Trojan Tennis” documents the most successful college tennis program, dating from 1899 through the end of the 2016-17 season. USC tennis legends Stan Smith and Stevie Johnson both contributed forewords to the hardcover book that features interviews with many of the program’s greatest players also including Alex Olmedo, Dennis Ralston, Bob Lutz, Rick Leach, Luke Jensen as well as legendary coaches George Toley, Dick Leach and Peter Smith. While the progress of the team is central, readers will be fascinated by the biographical details of the key figures in each time period, which are enhanced by extensive footnotes drawing from archival materials, including personal letters, scrapbooks, published news stories, and original interviews.

“We are so lucky Dr. Mark Young found us,” said Peter Smith, the USC men’s tennis coach. “He had a dream to write the story of the USC men’s tennis team. Little did any of us know what a the grand that lay ahead of him. Mark looked into every detail and every character – the story is a great read. He is the perfect person to tell our story and we can’t wait to share it with the world.”

Coco Gauff Does Rolex Proud With U.S. Open Victory

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After two weeks of world-class tennis, Rolex Testimonee Coco Gauff triumphed in New York to claim the 2023 US Open women’s singles crown and her first Grand Slam® title. In doing so, the 19-year-old becomes the youngest American player to win the US Open since 1999 and rises to a career-high ranking of world No. 3.
The fourth and final Grand Slam tournament of the calendar year is seen as one of the highlights of the season by both players and spectators. Renowned for its electric atmosphere and impassioned fans, this year’s edition was no exception with Gauff feeding off the exuberant energy in the stands throughout the tournament and, in particular, during the final where she staged a thrilling 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 comeback victory.

With origins dating back to 1881, the US Open is one of the oldest tennis championships in the world. Rolex’s special relationship with the tournament as Official Timekeeper was inaugurated in 2018, further strengthening the Swiss watchmaker’s presence at the heart of the game with the support of all four Grand Slam tournaments. As part of its pivotal partnerships in sport, the brand helps to foster the development of tennis by strengthening its commitment to young talent and the most iconic athletes whose exceptional feats have brought excellence and greatness to the game.

Gauff displayed peerless composure in the final to withstand the challenge of her powerful opponent and it was the American’s unwavering determination that saw her reign supreme on one of tennis’ biggest stages. As the match went on, Gauff grew in confidence and showed no sign of nerves in the closing exchanges, sealing the historic victory with a superb backhand winner on her first match point. Overcome with emotion, she immediately fell to the floor and sat on the sideline with her head in her hands before making a heart sign to the cheering fans. Almost the entirety of the star-studded, partisan crowd inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium, the US Open’s iconic centerpiece arena with a seating capacity of close to 23,800 – by far the largest court in Grand Slam tennis – leapt to their feet and erupted in a frenzied celebration of the new champion that they had willed to victory.

Winning a Grand Slam title in one’s home country is often regarded as a crowning moment for tennis players and to achieve this feat at such a young age speaks volumes of Gauff’s committed spirit and dedication. Before lifting the coveted trophy, Gauff climbed the stands to share an emotional moment with her parents, Corey and Candi Gauff, who used to take her to the US Open as a child to watch her idols play. All three embraced and cried tears of joy in recognition that their sacrifices had resulted in one of the sport’s greatest prizes.

Reflecting on the significance of her achievement, Coco Gauff said: “I feel like I’m in a little bit of shock at the moment. I feel like God puts you through trials and tribulations, and that makes this even sweeter. I’m thankful for this moment. I don’t have any words.”

With this victory, Gauff joins an illustrious list of Rolex Testimonees to have triumphed in New York, which includes Rod Laver, Chris Evert, Stefan Edberg, Pat Rafter, Justine Henin, Roger Federer, Juan Martín del Potro, Angelique Kerber, Sloane Stephens, Bianca Andreescu, Dominic Thiem, Iga Świątek and Carlos Alcaraz.

The US Open Women��s Singles Championship Trophy is made from sterling silver; across the front of the Trophy features the engravings of some of the most famous names in tennis history, alongside which Gauff now belongs. Whilst they cannot take the original trophies home, champions are given a replica with the same dimensions as the original trophy – unlike at the other three Grand Slam tournaments.

While glory belonged to Gauff this year, several other members of the Rolex family delivered strong performances, including Alcaraz, who reached the men’s singles semi-finals. Fellow Testimonees Qinwen Zheng and Taylor Fritz both reached the quarter-finals; and Caroline Wozniacki displayed her relentless pursuit of excellence and resilience with a remarkable run at her third tournament since coming out of retirement. After a three-and-a-half year absence from the game, the former World No. 1 from Denmark captivated crowds and reached the fourth round.

Gauff has long been destined to reach the highest heights in tennis. After bursting onto the scene with an extraordinary performance at The Championships, Wimbledon in 2019, where she made history by becoming the tournament’s youngest qualifier, aged 15, and making it to the fourth round in her Grand Slam debut, her emergence and career to date has captured the world’s attention.

Always a prodigious talent, Gauff’s triumph provides a fitting conclusion to the 2023 Grand Slam season and adds another memorable chapter in the tournament’s rich history. The focus of the tennis world now turns to the annual team competitions including the Davis Cup and the Laver Cup, which takes place for the first time in Vancouver, Canada from 22–24 September, at which Rolex is a Founding Partner and Official Timekeeper.


Daniil Medvedev Favored To Repeat As U.S. Open Champion

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Novak Djokovic was favored to win his fourth US Open in 2022. However, due to his vaccination status he won’t be able to compete. That’s forced sportsbooks to find a new favorite and they’ve landed on reigning US Open champion Daniil Medvedev.  

Medvedev is given +225 odds, or an implied 30.8% chance to win the grand slam. That said, the competition is tight with three others given at least a 10% chance to win. Rafael Nadal is given +450 odds to win his first US Open since 2019. Carlos Alcaraz is given +500 odds or an implied 16.7% chance to win his first grand slam title. Nick Kyrgios is given +750 odds or an implied 11.8% chance to build off his finals appearance at Wimbledon by winning the US Open.  

One name to keep an eye on is Taylor Fritz. The American is given +2800 odds, or an implied 3.4% chance to win the tournament. Those are the best odds an American has had to win any grand slam title since Mardy Fish was given +2000 odds to win the 2011 US Open. 

Quote from OddsChecker spokesman Kyle Newman, “The Men’s side is wide open for the first time in a long time. With no true favorite in this year’s field, the possibility for a longshot to run the table is there. Taylor Fritz could be the first American in over a decade to reach a grand slam final. Meanwhile, Roger Federer is considered a real longshot at +5000 odds, or an implied 2% chance to win his first grand slam title since 2018.” 

Go to OddsChecker’s website for more info here https://www.oddschecker.com/us/tennis/us-open-mens 

Daniil Medvedev

It’s A Wide Open U.S. Open

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As the 2021 tennis schedule prepares for the upcoming US Open, it is fair to say that the field has been blown open in terms of who will come out on top and with a litany of withdrawals, it could be one of the most interesting tournaments in quite a while. With this edition boasting  a breaking record of prize money $57.5 M! 

With this being the fourth Grand Slam of the year, there is a sense that those involved will want to go out on a high and with Novak Djokovic previously scooping the other three top-tier events, there is a feeling that perhaps the stars have started to align.

Stars that may have provided the Serbian, with the greatest ever chance to win a Calendar Year Grand Slam and after scooping success at the Australian and French Open tournaments, which themselves go alongside victory at Wimbledon this summer, now the focus is on stateside success.

While the reason the stars have arguably aligned for Djokovic, is due to the absence of both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal from proceedings and with injury plaguing two of the game’s greats, it does seem as if the hottest ace of 2021 has been handed a huge advantage.

To the point where an open field in terms of tournament entrants, may end up being more a case of who will join the 34-year-old in the final and especially when you look at the pre-tournament bookmaker odds that are currently available.

For those who like to use their betting apps, they will see a large amount of confidence in Djokovic to win this year’s US Open and when you consider the non-appearance of his two biggest foes, then you can understand just why so many punters are backing Djokovic to win.

Because the last couple of weeks have very much been a good news, bad news scenario for this year’s US Open favourite and although he was deprived the opportunity to win a Golden Slam this year – due to defeat at the Tokyo Olympics, his spirits would have been lifted by news elsewhere.

News that although you should not take joy in the anguish of others, it would be hard for Djokovic to not at least offer a wry smile in private and with Roger Federer first announcing his inability to compete at Flushing Meadows, it may have meant a titanic tussle with Rafael Nadal in the final.

However, it does seem like fortune is not favouring the Spaniard either and with a nagging foot injury now becoming more than a pain, the Mallorca born star is no longer in a position to compete at such a prestigious event.

To the point where Nadal has had to call time on the rest of his 2021 schedule and some are even questioning whether the rigours of Grand Slam tennis are now going to be too much for 2022 and beyond.

When you consider just how big a war of attrition Grand Slam tennis actually is and combine that with the age of Nadal and his arch-rivals, there is a sense that the sport’s golden era may finally be coming to an end.

If only for the simple reason that the three men in question and you could even add Andy Murray into this bracket of fading forces cannot go on forever and at some point, the next generation will have to break through the glass ceiling which currently sits above.

Then again, that glass ceiling has not yet been penetrated once and for all and although the likes of Danii Medvedev and Alexander Zverev will consider themselves heir apparent to tennis’ throne, they cannot claim such a moniker yet.

If the tournament draw can go favourably for either of these two men, they may well be in a position to earn a place in the final and go toe to toe with a man who has swept all before him when it really matters.

Of course, when it comes to sport and redemption, it may be too quick to write off British star Andy Murray and although the bookmakers are not pushing him to the top of the odds list at present, this is someone who has won at Flushing Meadows previously. With all this taken into consideration, it will take something rather remarkable for the 34-year-old Scot to come out on top in September and it will take something remarkable to stop Novak Djokovic from winning this year’s US Open.

Can Roger Federer Win A 21st Grand Slam Title?

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Roger Federer, a formidable force in the men’s singles tennis, going down as a legend in the sport. He has positioned himself at the top of the table for the most Grand Slam singles titles of all-time with a current total of 20. Although his titles are pretty spread out across the four major competitions, he has seen most success at Wimbledon. From his first win in 2003 to his most recent win last year at the Australian Open, Federer has provided us with numerous intense matches – most of them facing his biggest rivals, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. With these top three dominating in each Grand Slam it is hard to see someone disrupting their flow, but can Roger Federer make it number 21 at the US Open this year? If you think you know who will win this year’s final Grand Slam you can bet on US Open 2019 with Betfair.

Although Federer has seen unprecedented success across all Grand Slams, his best years were earlier on in his career. Between the years of 2003 and 2010, we saw Federer claim 16 of his Grand Slam titles, which means in the last nine years, he has only won four. It could be fair to say that Federer has slowed down (especially as he has recently celebrated his 38th birthday), but it is also a valid argument that he has been overthrown by the arrival of Nadal and Djokovic who have both seen most of their successes after 2010, but have collectively claimed 34 Grand Slam titles.

It is true that since Nadal and Djokovic came on the scene they have made things slightly trickier for Federer, and although he has not won as many titles since they came about, he has still been reaching the finals at least once every year with the exception of 2013 and 2016. In fact, most of the Grand Slam finals since 2003 have been contested between these three tennis players with only a handful of exceptions.

In his recent years, we have seen Federer consistently challenging for a title but with Djokovic dominating at Wimbledon and the ‘King of Clay’ Nadal dominating at the French Open, he seems to be struggling to breakthrough. Federer has seen some success at the US Open in previous years, totalling five Grand Slam titles there, but he hasn’t won a title at Flushing Meadows since 2008 and the last final he reached was in 2015. However, at the Australian Open, we have seen Federer claim the Grand Slam in 2018 and 2017, so although he missed out on the win this year, he could be in with a greater chance of achieving number 21 there next year. There is a lot of debate as to where Federer could achieve his next Grand Slam title, but actually, will he claim it at all?

Is the era of Roger Federer’s Grand Slam title wins starting to phase out, or has he got a few more victories left in him? There has recently been a lot of speculation regarding his retirement. His reign has already been incredible and landed him well and truly in the history books of the sport, but it might be possible that his struggle to claim a title in recent years is a sign, that his last title in the Australian Open, was his last.

Whether you believe Federer’s time as a champion is up or that he has still got some glory moments left, one undeniable thing is his dedication and incredible achievements within the sport.

Federer at the 2008 US Open
Federer at the 2008 US Open

Young American Vasil Kirkov Falls In U.S. Open Qualifying

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

 

Vasil Kirkov, the 17-year-old who reached the semifinals as a lucky loser in the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships USTA Futures event earlier this year in Vero Beach, Florida, competed in the qualifying rounds of the 2016 U.S. Open at the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center.

Kirkov, however, suffered an early exit, falling 6-2, 7-5 in the first scheduled match of the competition to No. 242-ranked Yannik Reuter of Belgium.

Kirkov, ranked No. 1146, played the match on Court No. 5 – the shadow of the new Arthur Ashe Stadium retractable roof – in front of an audience of about 200 people that included U.S. Olympic men’s tennis coach Jay Berger, former US Davis Cup Captain Tom Gullikson and Hallof Famer – and Vero Beach resident – Ivan Lendl, who works with Kirkov as part of his advisory role with the USTA Player Development program.

Kirkov was awarded a wild card entry into the U.S. Open qualifying tournament by the U.S. Tennis Association after, not only his strong result in Vero Beach, that saw his ATP ranking rise almost 1000 spots, but by reaching the final of the USTA National Boy’s 18 Championships in Kalamazoo, Mich., where he lost to another Vero Beach Futures alumnus Michael Mmoh.

Kirkov is expected to compete in the U.S. Open junior championships in two weeks.

Vasil Kirkov
Vasil Kirkov

The Best Live Match Ever

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by James A. Crabtree
I was talking with a fellow tennis fanatic the other day and the conversation shifted to the best live match we had ever seen. The fellow fanatic in question has rather deep pockets and could recount epics played throughout the world and the great corporate seats they had and blah blah blah. Well, enough about them, they were rather annoying.
I am not going to get snobby and say “You had to physically be there.” That is absurd and unfair to those of us with mortal salaries.
And by no means does this epic matchup have to be a final.
You simply have had to watch the match live, been engrossed in it, unable to draw yourself away from the drama that unfolded in front of your eyes..
Andy Roddick versus Roger Federer, 2009 Wimbledon Final
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ivf3TOUY78
Tough call here because the Federer versus Nadal epics in 2007 and 2008 were pretty special. But the choice goes to this five setter simply because, like many, I started the match cheering for Roger and finished going for Andy. Fed, at the time, was going for his fifteenth slam which would make him the most successful player in history, and Andy has had to bear witness to every slam in Fed’s career. But on this day Andy Roddick really looked like he could it. He was a set up, then 6-2 in the second set tie break, but Federer levelled it. Roddick lost the third but rebounded in the fourth. The thirty game fifth set, well that’s just part of Wimbledon lore. Do I really need to mention that Federer won it?
Stephen Edberg versus Michael Chang, 1989 Roland Garros Final
This was an absolute heartbreaker, especially if you were a diehard Edberg fan. Anyway, the gentleman Swede was attempting to become one of only a handful of true volleyers to pick up the title. In the fifth set he was a break up and looked like he would serve and volley his way into destiny, on clay. Unfortunately for Edberg fans he was up against a seventeen year upstart who had famously underarmed served in the fourth round against Lendl, the world number one. Michael Chang, with destiny on his side, took the title and secured his place as the youngest ever grand slam winner.
Rafael Nadal versus Novak Djokovic, 2012 Australian Open final

This epic final knocks out of the list the 2009 Verdasco/Nadal semi-final. Although still a very recent memory the relentless fight these two players showed proved why they will be remembered as legends in a match that lasted twice as long as Lord of The Rings. Let’s remember both players were coming off emotional wins, Rafa over Roger and Novak over Andy. The final included some of the most gruelling baseline hitting in recent memory, Nadal falling to his knees in jubilation after winning the fourth set and Djokovic’s infamous Hulk inspired shirt rip after his victory. Most of Melbourne awoke after this match with a very painful tennis hangover.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa2JPWwSqdI&feature=related
Boris Becker versus Johan Kriek, 1985 Queen’s Club Championships
Little can be said for the quality of the tennis as I simply don’t remember because I was only five years old at the time, but this was my first ever tennis match. I do remember it being very hot, and standing with my parents in line for the bar behind the biggest and most ginger human in the world.

This list did take a lot of deep thought, with so many games to recollect. The 2012 Aussie Open Marco Baghdatis versus Stan Wawrinka racquet smash bonanza was one of the most intriguing matches I’ve ever seen and now rewritten as a Greek tragedy. Brad Gilbert versus David Wheaton at Wimbledon 1990 was a strategical masterpeice. It is easy to recall the Sampras and Agassi bouts, Henman near misses, Davis Cup upsets including Lleyton’s 2003 two set down comeback against Federer. But the battles royale that take precedence within the memory banks cannot be dislodged.

The 2012 U.S. Open Semi Final Preview

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by James A. Crabtree
Whenever Federer, strangely, doesn’t make a grand slam semi-final there is a collective sigh of regret from the majority of the world’s tennis faithful. On the flip side, of the players still standing, there is a genuine sigh of relief.
Suddenly there is a chance, a real chance, a fresh face could hold aloft a grand slam trophy. Apart from Juan Martin del Potro’s 2009 U.S. Open all the slams since Roland Garros 2005 have been dominated by either Roger, Rafa or Novak.
Andy Murray, Tomas Berdych and David Ferrer all believe that this could be their chance at tennis immortality. They are smiling on the inside.
The only guy to possibly spoil an all-out ‘Thank God They Are Not Here’ party is, of course, Novak Djokovic who is the only member of the big three present. Also noteworthy is the fact that the Serbian world number two has been looking scarily good, just ask big Jaun Martin del Potro.

David Ferrer versus Novak Djokovic
Is this a forgone conclusion?
I really hate to say this, and I don’t want to believe it but yes, it looks to be all Novak. In almost all aspects he is a better version of his opponent.
What David Ferrer/young Emilio Estevez fans have to hope for is Djokovic to have one of those apathetic meltdowns that we used to see from him pre 2011. We need Ferrer to out grind to the backhand, keep the ball deep , return exceptionally and break late in sets. Trouble is it just doesn’t look likely. Tennis is all about current form and confidence. The Djoker is riding high on both after blitzing through the draw including that sensational win over Juan Martin del Potro.
Okay, so Ferrer’s record against the Serb isn’t bad, he has won five of their thirteen meetings. Noting that three of those were in round robin play, but none in grand slams.
Although it would be a real treat to see the other Spaniard gunslinger in a grand slam final, a true gambler wouldn’t bet against Novak now, especially in Gotham City.

Andy Murray versus Tomas Berdych
This should be a really testy encounter. A Highlander taking on the pride of Skynet, the T1000. These are two really volatile baseliners who can either bring brilliance or boredom.
Andy Murray is perhaps the best second-serve returner on tour. Now, Berdych does have the ability to serve big when he is on his game but when he gets nervous this is the first part of his game to falter, much in part due to that absurdly high ball toss.
We should expect to see Berdych start strong with that power game of his; riding high on his Federer victory but the Murray monotony will undoubtedly wear him down. Unless Berdych can hit flat out winners Murray should have him beaten from the back of the court using his superior fitness and consistency whilst lulling him into errors and a state of mental anguish, that cyborgs generally aren’t programmed to deal with.
Before you know it, it’s game, set and match to the golden boy. FREEEEEEEDOMMMMM!
The only question now is whether destiny is on the side of the Scot, the 2008 finalist? Without both Federer and Nadal to contend with, and ultimately some revenge on Djokovic, it would be hard to imagine Murray losing five grand slam finals in a row.
But that is a whole other conversation. Bring on the FINAL!
 

Roger Federer, Rolex and Cryogenic Freezing

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by James A. Crabtree
Seriously what is his secret? Still, at this mature vintage Roger Federer still makes a victim of mostly everyone. It beggars belief.
But how has this happened? Every year we hear the commentator’s prophesise how the game has changed, how the players hit harder with more spin and are better athlete’s etcetera etcetera etcetera.
Years ago I remember a commentator at Wimbledon during an Agassi match state that the single backhand is all but dead. That heavy topspin employed with extreme Sergi Brugera type grips is the only way the modern game can be played. ‘Change with the times or be left behind’ he said.
But, Federer’s game is arguably the most classic on tour. A time warp dominating the new generation. Aside from the dodgy shorts he would be required to wear in previous generations Federer would not look out of place in the sixties, seventies or eighties.
So what is the secret to his classic game? Has time been frozen?
It is easy to imagine. Federer is sponsored by Rolex, who make very, very nice watches. Now, what if the Rolex watch was actually able to do more than just tell you the time. What if those who made the watches were able to freeze time? Imagine if every time Federer looked to be missing a beat the watch maker, a little man with a German accent, tartan waistcoat and monocle on his eye, simply wound the watch up to speed.
(Insert German accent here) “Now vee are up to Speed. Wunderbar.”
Before you know it Federer is playing like it is 2004. But hang on, its 2012. Federer is still number one.
It must be far more complicated than that…
No, not as complicated as quantum leaping because Doctor Sam Beckett couldn’t play tennis. And nothing to do with Marty McFly either. Considering the amount Federer has travelled it could be something to do with the fountain of youth but Federer, although youthful for the amount of time he has spent in the sun, has aged a little.
Apart from a few minor back niggles Federer has remained more injury free than any sports man in recent memory…

Is Roger Federer cryogenically refrigerated at night? His muscles and mind maintained or enhanced by the process of freezing at extremely low temperatures. It is not too hard to picture good ol’ Mirka in a lab coat and surgeons mask, turning down the temperature then closing the door nightly on Roger.
“Night night Roger, love you,” she would say.
“Night night Mirks, love you too.” He would respond. Before you know it a whiff of dry ice would fill the room and Federer would be sleeping soundly in one of the pods from the Alien movie.
In the morning he would wake, bright and as spritely as ten years ago.