5 lowest-ranked US Open winners ft. Marin Cilic, Pete Sampras
The US Open tends to throw up surprise winners more often than the three other Grand Slams in the year, especially since the turn of the century.
During this period, Flushing Meadows has seen as many as eight first-time Major winners. The three other Grand Slams combined - Australian Open (3), Roland Garros (4), and Wimbledon (2) - have recorded the same number.
Perhaps, it's no coincidence that no player has successfully defended their US Open title since Roger Federer in 2008, when he completed an unprecedented five-peat.
Daniil Medvedev stuns Novak Djokovic in straight sets to win the #USOpen https://t.co/Ksup0ClAEI
On that note, here's a look at the five lowest-ranked players to triumph at Flushing Meadows:
#5 Pete Sampras - 12 (1990)
Pete Sampras is widely regarded as one of the best players in tennis history, especially on grass, where he won seven Wimbledon titles. The American was no slouch on hardcourts either, winning two Australian Open and five US Open titles.
Sampras opened his Grand Slam account at the 1990 US Open, becoming the first and only teenager in the Open Era to win the tournament. Ranked 12th in the world at the time, he made a confident start to his campaign, dropping only one set en route to making the second week at a Major for the first time.
The then 19-year-old squandered a two-set lead against three-time winner Ivan Lendl but recovered to progress to the last four. There, he beat four-time winner John McEnroe in four sets before upsetting higher-ranked compatriot Andre Agassi to create history.
times!
On this day in 1990 ⏪
Pete Sampras wins the first singles title of his career in Philadelphia...
The American would go on to become a world No. 1 and claim the @usopen singles title 5️⃣ times! https://t.co/aCTUAFoEmR
Sampras went on to win 13 more Majors, including four more titles at Flushing Meadows.
#4 Pat Rafter - 14 (1997)
Pat Rafter made his Grand Slam breakthrough at the 1997 US Open. After beating Lionel Roux in the third round, Rafter equalled his win tally at the tournament in four previous appearances, but there was more to come.
The Australian beat 1994 winner Andre Agassi before reeling off consecutive straight-set wins against Magnus Larsen and Michael Chang to make his first Major final.
The then World No. 14 beat his fellow first-time Grand Slam finalist Greg Rusedski in four sets to reign supreme at Flushing Meadows.
male player in the Open Era to win back-to-back #USOpen titles, in 1997 and 1998!Happy Birthday to Pat Rafter, the 1st 🇦🇺 male player in the Open Era to win back-to-back #USOpen titles, in 1997 and 1998! https://t.co/atwhxB7YnV
Rafter returned the following year to successfully defend his title, joining a handful of players to do so in the Open Era.
#3 Marin Cilic - 16 (2014)
Marin Cilic scripted a fairy-tale run triumph at the 2014 US Open. Having made two quarterfinal appearances at Flushing Meadows, Cilic had the game to excel on hardcourt, but few thought he would go all the way that year.
The lanky Croat needed four sets to see off Kevin Anderson in the third round. He then needed five against Gilles Simon to make his second straight quarterfinal in the tournament.
Cilic would catch fire from there, not dropping a set enroute to lifting the biggest title of his career. After beating Tomas Berdych, the Croat played 'lights-out' tennis to beat five-time winner Roger Federer. The then World No. 16 then beat his fellow first-time Major finalist Kei Nishikori to make his Grand Slam breakthrough.
. This year someone will get to experience the incredible feeling of winning a GS for the first time #USOpenOn this day in 2014 my tennis dreams came true 😊. This year someone will get to experience the incredible feeling of winning a GS for the first time #USOpen
si.com/tennis/2020/09…
In the process, the 6' 6" Cilic became the joint-tallest Major winner in history alongside 2009 winner Juan Martin Del Potro.
#2 Pete Sampras - 17 (2002)
It was a fairy-tale triumph only the Gods could have conjured. Pete Sampras was without a Slam win in two years and without a Grand Slam quarterfinal in a season in 13 years entering the 2002 US Open. He was not expected to go all the way at Flushing Meadows, but did just that.
In what also turned out to be the last tournament of his illustrious career, the then World No. 17 won a record-equalling fifth US Open title, moving level with Jimmy Connors. Sampras moved into the third round without the loss of a set before being taken the distance by 1997 runner-up Greg Rusedski.
The American then beat third seed Tommy Haas in four sets before getting the better of younger compatriot and future winner Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals.
Sampras made quick work of surprise semifinalist Sjeng Schalken. Determined to avoid a third consecutive US Open final defeat, Sampras beat compatriot Andre Agassi in a rematch of the 1990 and 1995 finals to walk into the sunset.
September 8, 2002: Pete Sampras wins his fifth #USOpen title defeating Andre Agassi 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in what ultimately become the final match of his professional career. https://t.co/0qoNZXrvD9
It was the American's 14th Major triumph, a mark that would be surpassed by Roger Federer at Wimbledon seven years later. Sampras' record of five titles at Flushing Meadows was also eventually emulated by Federer.
#1 Andre Agassi - 20 (1994)
Andre Agassi's triumph at Flushing Meadows in 1994 was another unexpected run to the title by a player who few expected to go all the way that year.
Coming off a wrist injury, Agassi missed the first four months of the 1994 season. His results in Majors that year were nothing much to talk about as he made the second round at Roland Garros and the fourth round at Wimbledon.
However, Agassi was a man reborn at the US Open. The World No. 20 was unseeded as only 16 players received seeding in Majors till 2001. That meant the draw was a potential landmine for the American, with danger lurking in every round, but Agassi overcame them all.
Agassi ran into five seeds but beat them all in consecutive matches. After seeing off 12th seed Wayne Ferreira in the third round, the American was taken the distance by his sixth-seeded compatriot Michael Chang.
The then 24-year-old went on to beat 13th seed Thomas Muster and ninth seed Todd Martin to return to his first final at Flushing Meadows in four years. Agassi defeated fourth seed Michael Stich in straight sets in the summit clash to win the title.
50 Moments That Mattered: @AndreAgassi wins the 1994 #USOpen
Not a typical unseeded competitor, Agassi knocked out no fewer than five seeded players at the 94' Open, his first title at Flushing Meadows. Learn More: ms.spr.ly/US-Open-50-Mom… #USOpen50 https://t.co/ZlQ1sTGUx2
Agassi won his second title at Flushing Meadows five years later, just a few weeks after becoming the first player since Rod Laver to complete the career Grand Slam.