1968 US Open (tennis)

January 2025 March 2026 1968 US Open 29 August – 8 September 88th Grand Slam (ITF) $100,000 Forest Hills, Queens New York City, New York West Side Tennis Club Grass USA Arthur Ashe GBR Virginia Wade USA Robert Lutz / USA Stan Smith BRA Maria Bueno / AUS Margaret Court USA Mary-Ann Eisel / GBR Peter Curtis U.S. National Championships The 1968 US Open (formerly known as U.S. National Championships) was a tennis tournament that took place on the outdoor grass courts at the West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills in New York City, New York. The tournament ran from 29 August until 8 September. It was the 88th staging of the tournament and the fourth Grand Slam event of 1968. It was the first edition of the tournament in the Open Era of tennis and as such for the first time offered prize money, totaling $100,000. Arthur Ashe and Virginia Wade won the singles titles, with Ashe becoming the first black man to win the US Open. Ashe was still registered as an amateur and therefore not entitled to the $14,000 first-prize money, which instead went to runner-up Tom Okker, while Wade earned $6,000.Dave Anderson Ashe Beats Okker to Win Tennis Open http://partners.nytimes.com/library/sports/091068ashe.html The New York Times September 10, 1968 Frank Parker, at the age of 52, lost to eventual champion Arthur Ashe in the second round, and still holds the record for the oldest man to compete in a Grand Slam singles tournament. Journalist John McPhee wrote a book, Levels of the Game (1969), that covered the semifinal match between Ashe and Clark Graebner. Finals thumb|West Side Tennis Club, Queens Men's singles 1968 US Open – Men's singles USA Arthur Ashe defeated Netherlands Tom Okker,https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/archive/us-open/560/1968/draws?matchtype=singles 1968 US Open – Men's singles draw Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) 14–12, 5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 • It was Ashe's 1st career Grand Slam singles title and his 1st and only at the US Open. Women's singles 1968 US Open – Women's singles GBR Virginia Wade defeated USA Billie Jean King, 6–4, 6–2 • It was Wade's 1st career Grand Slam singles title and her 1st and only at the US Open. Men's doubles 1968 US Open – Men's doubles USA Bob Lutz / USA Stan Smith defeated USA Arthur Ashe / Spain 1945 Andrés Gimeno,https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/archive/us-open/560/1968/draws?matchtype=doubles 1968 US Open – Men's doubles draw Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) 11–9, 6–1, 7–5 • It was Lutz's 1st career Grand Slam doubles title. • It was Smith's 1st career Grand Slam doubles title. Women's doubles 1968 US Open – Women's doubles BRA Maria Bueno / AUS Margaret Court defeated USA Rosemary Casals / USA Billie Jean King, 4–6, 9–7, 8–6 • It was Bueno's 11th and last career Grand Slam doubles title and her 4th at the US Open. • It was Court's 10th career Grand Slam doubles title and her 2nd at the US Open. Mixed doubles No mixed doubles event was held at the 1968 US Open. Results often listed are those of the 1968 U.S. National Championships held a month earlier in Boston.Mixed doubles US National Championships, Boston http://mixed.doubles.tripod.com/usopen/1968.htm live https://archive.today/20120710082352/http://mixed.doubles.tripod.com/usopen/1968.htm 10 July 2012 USA Mary-Ann Eisel / GBR Peter Curtis defeated USA Tory Fretz / USA Gerry Perry 6–4, 7–5 References External links Official website of US Open 1968 Wimbledon Championships Grand Slams 1969 Australian Open US Open Category:US Open (tennis) by year US Open (tennis) US Open (tennis) US Open (tennis) US Open (tennis)