August 18, 2010
The 12 Greatest Upsets in U.S. Open Tennis History
By Ja Allen
As the U.S. Open prepares to get under way in the next few weeks, it is interesting to look back on the history of this illustrious tournament, one which serves as the final Grand Slam of the calendar year and has since the Australian Open moved from December to January in 1987.
Many records have been set at the U.S. Open by men and women playing the tournament in New York.
American Jimmy Connors, American Pete Sampras, and Swiss Roger Federer hold the most single titles on the men's side with five each, though Federer's wins were consecutive from 2004-2009, a record in the modern era.
Chris Evert of the United States holds the most single titles on the ladies side with six, winning four consecutively from 1975-1978, again a record in the modern era.
But these accomplishments as well as those of other top players have been previewed time and again before each U.S. Open gets under way.
But what about the upsets when a champion who was expected to win goes down to defeat by someone who no one expected to win the match? Following in chronological order are the biggest upsets in U.S. Open history during the modern era.
1975, Jimmy Connors (1) vs. Manolo Orantes (3), Final
Orantes wins, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
1983, American John McEnroe (1) vs. American Bill Scanlon, Round Four
Bill Scanlon wins, 7-6, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4.
1989, Mats Wilander (5) vs. Pete Sampras, Round Two
Sampras wins, 5-7, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Mats Wilander's pinnacle year was 1988 when he became the No. 1 player in the world, stealing that moniker away from Ivan Lendl after defeating the Czech at the U.S. Open in 1988. A year later, Wilander, seeded No. 5 and the defending champion, came into the Open not playing too well. In the second round he met an 18-year-old American ranked No. 91, Pete Sampras.
Sampras served and came to the net each time, even though Sampras' serve and volley game was not yet perfected. According to Mary Carillo, Sampras came to the net 160 times to Wilander's 14. Carillo also reported that Wilander was 14-1 in five set Major finals coming into this match.
For Wilander it was a terrible match, and the 25-year-old Swede was at a loss to explain his slump during 1989. Sampras admitted that he caught Wilander at just the right time, taking advantage of the fact that the usually superlative Swede was playing poorly. Sampras' serve and volley kept Wilander off balance as the American continued to apply pressure.
The Sampras serve was still his major weapon and he used it to great effect to defeat the defending champion who never again scaled the heights that took him to the No. 1 ranking in 1988. It was a fitting match with Sampras defeating Wilander --- one on the way up and the other on the way down.
1989, John McEnroe (4) vs. Paul Haarhuis, Round Two
Haarhuis wins, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
1990, Stefan Edberg (1) vs. Alexander Volkov, Round One
Volkov wins, 6-3, 7-6, 6-2.
1994, Pete Sampras (1) vs. Jaime Yzaga, Round Four
Yzaga wins, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6, 7-5.
The year was 1994 and the U.S. Open was under way. Pete Sampras was the defending champion and most expected him to repeat. He had, however, spent most of the summer battling tendinitis in his left ankle, suffering complications with calcium deposits. This led the top-ranked American to miss all the tune-up events leading up to the Open.
Sampras was hardly match strong coming into New York, but he did manage to defeat Kevin Ullyett in the first round, Daniel Vacek in the second, and Roger Smith in the third before he met Jaime Yzaga in the fourth round. Yzaga had met and defeated Gabriel Markus, David Witt, and Cedric Pioline before meeting Sampras.
The Peruvian was a counter puncher and a scrambler who never quit on a point. This day it won him the match and his first quarterfinal berth in a Major. He was not sorry that he won --- because Yzaga had earned it. He was the better man on the day. True, Sampras was not in the best shape, but there are no special allowances given players. Once you step on the court, it is the best man who wins. Period.
We don't record victories with asterisks saying Sampras had tendinitis in his ankle and could not move well. We say, the winner was Jaime Yzaga because he was the best man on the day.
But Sampras, who could have made it easy on himself, did not. The American fought for every point and contested every point on his opponent's racket. He made the Peruvian earn his victory. The fact is that Sampras hit the wall and had no energy, no flight left by the end of the match. But he kept fighting anyway.
Sampras refused as always to concede a match. He did not retire because he was hot or because he had blisters so bad he could not walk. He fought until the match was over and that is truly remarkable because how many times in today's game do we see guys retiring because they are uncomfortable or in pain?
As defending champion, Sampras lost but he did not quit in 1994.
1997, Pete Sampras (1) vs. Peter Korda (15), Round Four
Korda wins, 6-7, 7-5,7-6,3-6, 7-6.
Pete Sampras entered the U.S. Open as the No. 1 seed in 1997, fully expecting to win the title again, or at least make the final. Sampras, after all, had played in every final since 1994. It was the first year the championship would be played in the new Arthur Ashe Stadium.
In the fourth round Sampras met the 15th seed Peter Korda from the Czech Republic. Korda had played Sampras tough during a five setter at Wimbledon earlier that summer as the American held on to win.
Sampras gave Korda credit for his victory because the Czech came up with winning shots when he had to. Sampras did not make it easy, firing 58 winners including 24 aces. The American even held a 3-0 advantage in the final set and seemed well on his way to securing his 17th consecutive match win at the U.S. Open.
But Korda had another ending in mind. After dealing with rain delays and the Sampras serve, Korda fought his way into a final set tiebreak --- leaping out to a 4-0 lead over Sampras. Eventually Korda was able to serve it out and win the match.
Sampras would win the U.S. Open once more in 2002.
2000, Andre Agassi (1) vs. Arnaud Clement, Round Two
Clement wins, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
2008, Ana Ivanovic (1) vs. Julie Coin, Round Two
Coin wins, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
2009, Andy Roddick (5) vs. John Isner, Round Three
Isner wins, 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 5-7, 7-6.
2009, Melanie Oudin vs. the Russians
2009, Roger Federer (1) vs. Juan Martin Del Potro (6), Final
Del Potro wins, 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2.