US Open: Five memorable moments for men in Flushing Meadows

The US Open 2018 starts on Monday and we have, subjectively, chosen five matches or events to get us in the mood for the last Grand Slam tournament of the year.

The last Grand Slam final, which the great Swede was to play in his much too short career. Borg collected eleven major titles, but his triumph in Flushing Meadows was denied him. He made the final four times, twice in Jimmy Connors and twice in McEnroe.

In 1980, for example, McEnroe took revenge for the historic defeat in Wimbledon with a five-set victory. There, however, the New Yorker Borg dethroned a year later. And at the US open, he destroyed his long-standing opponent’s dream of winning a title in the Big Apple as well.

Anyone who describes the Centre Court in picturesquely quiet Wimbledon as his living room can do little with the noisy circumstances at the US Open. Boris Becker made no secret of his preferences, but nevertheless made a big coup in 1989.

Especially against Ivan Lendl, the triple champion, then the number one in the world. For Becker a very special year – the German had won his third and last title before in Wimbledon. Since then, the German men have been waiting for success in Flushing Meadows. The closest was Michael Stich, who failed Andre Agassi in the 1994 final.

39 years old and actually on his farewell tour. Jimmy Connors, who won the US Open for the first time in 1974 (and played only two games in the final for Ken Rosewall), played himself into a frenzy 17 years after this success, leaving his opponents helpless and sometimes bitter.

Aaron Krickstein, for example, whom Connors defeated in five sets, had long to gnaw at defeat. Only in the semi-finals was the Connors tank finally empty – Jim Courier moved into the final (where he lost to Stefan Edberg).

Federer had won the New York title five times in a row, and against del Potro the Swiss went into the match as the favourite. In the same year they had already played against each other in Roland Garros, Federer still won after trailing 0:2 sets. And later won his only title at the French Open.

At Arthur Ashe Stadium it looked like del Potro was going to lose again for a long time. Until Federer disturbed his opponent’s challenge in the fourth set. Del Potro took advantage of Federer’s short period of weakness and was undisputed in his decision.

2012 was not a bad year for Andy Murray: Although the Scot lost to Roger Federer in Wimbledon’s final, he returned the same amount to the Swiss in the individual Olympic final.

Murray had already made it into the final at the US Open in 2008, where he had no chance against Federer. Murray beat Novak Djokovic 2-0 with two tight sets and had to accept the Serbian equaliser. But the fifth set was in the hands of the outsider, the defending champion Djokovic.