Most Successful American Tennis Players of the Open Era

​Established in 1881, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) is one of the nation’s oldest governing bodies for American sports. The USTA provides American tennis players a wide range of services and resources, including training opportunities and financial backing for some of the country’s most promising players. Thanks in part to the support of the USTA, American men and women have enjoyed considerable on-court success during the six decades of the sport’s Open Era.

The Open Era of tennis began in 1968 when the sport’s four major tournaments and all tournaments comprising the professional tour agreed to allow professional players to compete alongside amateurs. On the men’s tour, many regard American Arthur Ashe as a pioneer; in 1968, he became the first American man to win a major tournament in the Open Era. Fittingly, Ashe won the US Open while competing as an amateur.

Ashe won the Australian Open in 1970 and Wimbledon in 1975, but Jimmy Connors defined the first decade of Open Era tennis in America. Connors won three of four major events in 1974, plus a second US Open win in 1976. Connors won four more major titles between 1978 and 1983, yet the decade belonged to John McEnroe. McEnroe upset Jimmy Connors in straight sets at the 1979 US Open, his first of three straight wins at the event. McEnroe won three of four Wimbledons between 1981 and 1984, losing to Connors in 1982, and won his final major at the 1984 US Open, giving the American seven majors in just six years.

American men went over four years without a major title, a streak broken at the 1989 French Open by Michael Chang, the youngest man ever to win a major tournament. However, Pete Sampras, the most successful player of the era and the most successful American male of all time overshadowed Chang and compatriots like Andre Agassi and Jim Courier.

Sampras broke through at the US Open in 1990, defeating Agassi in straight sets. Over the following seven seasons, the big-serving American would pick up nine more majors. He was especially successful at Wimbledon, winning the event four times during the third decade of the Open Era and adding three more wins between 1998 and 2000. Indeed, Sampras became the most successful American between 1998 and 2007, winning four more majors compared to Agassi’s five. American men have struggled at the major level since Agassi’s win at the 2003 Australian Open, his final major. Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open, the last major victory for an American man.

American women have been even more dominant than their male counterparts since the start of the Open Era. Billie Jean King won eight of her 12 career majors during the first decade of the Open Era. Chris Evert nearly matched King, winning seven majors during the same period. Evert’s dominance would have defined the next decade, with 11 major titles, if not for compatriot Martina Navratilova, who picked up a historic 17 majors between 1978 and 1987.

American women faded from prominence during the late 1980s and early 1990s like men. Monica Seles won nine majors during this period, though she only began representing the US before her final major win at the 1996 Australian Open.

The fortunes of American women changed drastically around the turn of the century. Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati each won three majors. American tennis, however, major victories of sisters Serena and Venus Williams redefined it. Serena won eight majors during the fourth decade of the Open Era, narrowly edging her older sister, who won six during the same period. Venus would pick up her final major title at Wimbledon in 2008, while Serena would add 15 more majors through 2017 for an Open Era record of 23 major titles.

Unlike US men, American women have won several majors during the current decade of the Open Era. Sofia Kenin won the 2020 Australian Open, while Coco Gauff became the most recent American to win a major at the 2023 US Open.

Derek Copeland

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