US Open: A Historic Battle Without a Clear Owner

The battle to make history since the beginning of the Open Era in 1968 is particularly close at the US Open. Unlike other Grand Slam tournaments that have been dominated by the same player for extended periods, the men’s all-time ranking in New York remains incredibly tight.

Just one title separates the six most successful men of the Open Era. Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras share the record with five titles each, while Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and John McEnroe follow immediately behind with four.

The 2026 US Open could change that balance once again. Djokovic is looking to move level with the record of five titles, while Carlos Alcaraz is defending the crown he won in 2025 and chasing his third trophy at Flushing Meadows.

Connors, Federer and Sampras share the record

Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer reached five titles through three very different career paths.

Connors was champion in 1974, 1976, 1978, 1982 and 1983, spreading his victories across an entire decade. He also achieved something unique: winning the tournament on all three surfaces used by the US Open during its modern history—grass, clay and hard court.

Sampras captured his first title in 1990 at just 19 years old before adding four more in 1993, 1995, 1996 and 2002. His final triumph was particularly symbolic: he defeated Andre Agassi in the championship match and never played another professional match.

Federer’s dominance was completely different. The Swiss won all five of his titles consecutively between 2004 and 2008, producing the longest men’s championship streak of the Open Era. During that period, New York became one of the main stages of his global dominance.

Federer had one final opportunity to win a sixth title in 2009, but Juan Martín del Potro ended his reign in a memorable five-set final.

Djokovic would lead the TRH ranking by points

The number of titles shows which players reached the top most often, but it does not tell the full story of everything they achieved in New York.

In the Tennis Race for History ranking, players also receive points for reaching finals, semi-finals and other rounds, as well as for the victories they accumulate. Under this system, Novak Djokovic would lead the men’s US Open all-time ranking by points, despite having four titles rather than five.

The Serbian was champion in 2011, 2015, 2018 and 2023, but his consistency extends far beyond those trophies. He has reached numerous finals and remained one of the leading contenders in New York for many years.

That is precisely why the TRH ranking offers a broader perspective on the tournament. Federer, Sampras and Connors retain the record for the most titles, but Djokovic has accumulated more overall points thanks to his extraordinary consistency in the closing rounds.

They are followed by another group of legends led by Rafael Nadal and John McEnroe, both four-time champions. Nadal triumphed in 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2019, while McEnroe dominated much of the early 1980s with victories in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1984.

Below, we present the figures for the top 12 players of the Open Era between 1968 and 2025, ranked according to the Tennis Race for History criteria.

Alcaraz is chasing his third US Open title

The ranking of active champions introduces a new group of players capable of changing the tournament’s history.

Novak Djokovic is the active player with the most titles in New York, with four. He is followed by Carlos Alcaraz, champion in 2022 and 2025, who enters the 2026 edition with the opportunity to claim his third crown.

The US Open already occupies an essential place in Alcaraz’s career. In 2022, he won his first Grand Slam title there and became the youngest World No. 1 in ATP Ranking history. Three years later, he returned to the top by defeating Jannik Sinner in the 2025 final.

Another victory would give him three titles before his 24th birthday and move him closer to the group formed by Djokovic, Nadal and McEnroe. Alcaraz could also become the first man in the Open Era to successfully defend Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces: clay, grass and hard court.

The challenge is enormous. The Spaniard returns after spending four months away from the Tour because of a right wrist injury and must defend his title without having played an individual warm-up tournament.

Alongside Djokovic and Alcaraz, the list of active champions includes names such as Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev, representing an era in which the trophy has been shared among several leading players.

Evert and Serena dominate the women’s ranking

The top of the women’s ranking is also shared. Chris Evert and Serena Williams lead the Open Era standings with six titles each.

Evert built an extraordinary relationship with the tournament. She won four consecutive titles between 1975 and 1978 before triumphing again in 1980 and 1982. Her consistency was even more impressive: she reached the semi-finals in each of her first 17 appearances.

Serena captured her six crowns across a much longer period: 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Fifteen years separated her first and final victories, demonstrating her remarkable competitive longevity.

Behind them is Steffi Graf with five titles, followed by Martina Navratilova with four. Graf was champion in 1988—the year in which she completed the Grand Slam and later the Golden Slam—as well as in 1989, 1993, 1995 and 1996. Navratilova lifted the trophy in 1983, 1984, 1986 and 1987.

The ranking also features legends such as Margaret Court and Billie Jean King, whose careers began before 1968. Both continued winning major titles after the start of the Open Era, serving as a bridge between two fundamental periods in the history of women’s tennis.

Sabalenka and Osaka are chasing a third title

Among the active champions, Venus Williams stands out as the winner of the 2000 and 2001 editions. Her presence at the 2026 US Open at the age of 46 provides another remarkable example of longevity in sporting history.

However, the players with the best opportunity to climb the ranking are Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka, who have both won two titles.

Osaka triumphed in 2018 and 2020, while Sabalenka won the 2024 and 2025 editions. The World No. 1 arrives in New York as the two-time defending champion and is attempting to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win three consecutive US Open titles.

The list of active champions also includes players such as Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Emma Raducanu and Sloane Stephens, each with one title. This variety of winners reflects the exceptional competitiveness that has defined the women’s draw in recent years.

An edition capable of changing history

The US Open all-time rankings reveal two different battles.

The first is the race for titles, with Connors, Federer and Sampras leading the men’s standings, and Evert and Serena dominating the women’s list. The second is the Tennis Race for History points ranking, which also rewards consistency and the complete set of results achieved throughout a player’s career.

The 2026 tournament could produce several significant changes. Djokovic is attempting to equal the men’s record of five titles; Alcaraz is chasing his third crown; and Sabalenka and Osaka are also looking to capture their third women’s trophy.

New York is once again offering much more than two Grand Slam titles. Every victory, every round reached and every new final could change where the greatest champions stand in the tournament’s history.