The final grand slam tournament of the year, the US Open, is the most unpredictable tournament on the calendar as all the wear and tear of a long season comes to a head at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York. Now that the tournament has finished, let’s take a look into what made the 2022 US Open such an exciting tournament.
Carlos Alcaraz is the Youngest World No. 1 in Men's Tennis
This year's men’s singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud was just a glimpse into the bright future of tennis. Alcaraz had a difficult road to his finals appearance, playing in the second longest match in US Open history. The epic five-set quarterfinal (6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3) lasted five hours and 15 minutes, ending at 2:50 a.m. Throughout the duration of the tournament, Alcaraz spent 23 hours and 40 minutes on the court.
When Alcaraz finally reached the final, it was incredibly high stakes, as both players were vying for their first Grand Slam title and the world No. 1 ranking, the first US Open final to have the two men fighting for the same honors. Alcaraz came out on top, becoming the youngest world No. 1, and the first teenager to achieve this milestone.
Iga Świątek Continues Her Dazzling Season
Even with her incredible season, Iga Świątek came to the US Open unsure of what to expect. She began the year on a 37-match winning streak, but she had been shaky since that streak was broken in July. With previous Grand Slam victories at the French Open, Iga was determined to prove to herself and the tennis world that she was equally as dominant on the hard courts.
Iga Świątek defeated Ons Jabeur, 6-2, 7-6(5), making her the first Polish woman to win the US Open. She also became the first woman to win two grand slam titles in a year since Angelique Kerber in 2016, after winning the French Open earlier in the season. Ons Jabeur of Tunisia also made history, becoming the first African and Arab woman to reach the finals of the US Open. This marked her second consecutive appearance in a Grand Slam title match, also being a finalist at Wimbledon two months ago.
Big 4's Dominance Coming to an End
With Frances Tiafoe’s stunning victory over Rafael Nadal in the fourth round of the 2022 US Open, and Serena Williams' loss to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round, it marked the first time since 2003 that Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams did not compete in a Grand Slam quarterfinal.
The Big 4 have dominated the tennis world for the past two decades, winning a whopping 86 Major titles between them. Serena sits atop the leaderboard with 23, followed by Nadal at 22, Djokovic at 21, and Federer at 20.
Serena Williams Plays Last Match at Arthur Ashe Stadium
23 years after she won her first Grand Slam title at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Serena Williams played the last match of her career on the very same court. Williams lost to Ajla Tomljanović in the third round at the US Open. Tomljanović, ranked 46th in the world, beat Williams 7-6, 6-7, 6-1 in what would instantly become an iconic and bittersweet defeat.
Frances Tiafoe is the First American Man to Reach the Semifinals in Years
Frances Tiafoe, from Maryland, became the first American man to make it to the semifinals of the US Open in 16 years. He defeated Rafael Nadal in the round of sixteen, but was later eliminated by the eventual champion, Carlos Alcaraz, in a thrilling five-set semi-final.
The last American man to reach the US Open semifinals was Andy Roddick, who was eliminated by Roger Federer in 2006. Roddick is also the last American man to win a Grand Slam singles tournament since winning the US Open in 2003.
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