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US Open: A look at the last 5 men's singles champions

Djokovic is the defending US Open men's singles champion
Djokovic is the defending US Open men's singles champion

The US Open is the oldest Grand Slam tournament after Wimbledon. With its first edition in 1881, it is the only Grand Slam to have been played every year since its inaugural edition.

After 93 years on grass, the US Open moved to clay for three seasons (1975-77) before transitioning to a hardcourt surface called 'DecoTurf' and onto its present home at Flushing Meadows in 1978.

As the 139th edition of the US Open gets underway next week, let us have a look at the last five men's singles champions at the last Grand Slam event of the year.


#5 Novak Djokovic (2018)

2018 US Open champion Djokovic poses with his trophy
2018 US Open champion Djokovic poses with his trophy

Novak Djokovic, on the comeback trail from an elbow injury and subsequent surgery, turned around an underwhelming 6-6 start to the season by winning his 4th Wimbledon title and a maiden title in Cincinnati which made him the first player to win all nine Masters 1000 titles.

Arriving at the US Open as the sixth seed, Djokovic beat Federer's conqueror John Millman in the quarter-finals to reach his 11th consecutive US Open semi-final where he overcame 2014 runner-up Kei Nishikori to reach a record 8th title match at the US Open (tied with Ivan Lendl and Pete Sampras).

Determined not to be the first player to lose six US Open finals in the Open Era, Djokovic overwhelmed 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets to win his second Grand Slam title of the year and third at Flushing Meadows.

The Serb's 14th career singles Grand Slam title returned him to the top three of the ATP rankings for the first time since the 2017 French Open.

The first half of the season receded to a blur and the comeback was complete when Djokovic became the first player ranked outside the top-20 to close the season as the year-end World No. 1.

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