1968 US Open – Men's singles

January 2025 1968 US Open USA Arthur Ashe NED Tom Okker 14–12, 5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 96 16 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles US Open – Men's singles 1968 US Open (tennis) Arthur Ashe defeated Tom Okker in the final, 14–12, 5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1968 US Open."Ashe Wins U.S. Open Singles Title", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 10, 1968, p27 It was his first major singles title, becoming the first African American man to win a singles major. This was the first edition of the tournament to be open to professional players, marking a period in tennis history known as the Open Era. John Newcombe was the defending champion, but lost in the quarterfinals to Clark Graebner. Seeds The seeded players are listed below. Arthur Ashe is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated. AUS Rod Laver (fourth round) AUS Tony Roche (fourth round) AUS Ken Rosewall (semifinals) AUS John Newcombe (quarterfinals) USA Arthur Ashe (champion) USA Dennis Ralston (quarterfinals) USA Clark Graebner (semifinals) NLD Tom Okker (finals) n/a ESP 1945 Andrés Gimeno (first round) AUS Fred Stolle (second round) USA Charlie Pasarell (third round) USA Richard Pancho Gonzales (quarterfinals) AUS Roy Emerson (fourth round) USA Marty Riessen (second round) South Africa 1928 Cliff Drysdale (quarterfinals) Draw Key Q = Qualifier WC = Wild card LL = Lucky loser r = Retired Final eight 160 USA Arthur Ashe 5 14 5 6 3 6 NLD Tom Okker 8 12 7 3 6 3 USA Arthur Ashe 5 4 8 7 6 USA Clark Graebner 7 6 6 5 2 AUS Ken Rosewall 3 6 4 8 1 NLD Tom Okker 8 8 6 6 6 South Africa 1928 Cliff Drysdale 16 10 3 7 4 USA Arthur Ashe 5 8 6 9 6 AUS John Newcombe 4 7 9 1 4 USA Clark Graebner 7 5 11 6 6 USA Dennis Ralston 6 2 2 3 AUS Ken Rosewall 3 6 6 6 NLD Tom Okker 8 14 6 10 6 USA Pancho Gonzales 13 16 3 8 3 Section 1 1 First round Second round Third round Round four AUS R Laver 1 6 4 6 1 1 South Africa 1928 C Drysdale 16 4 6 3 6 6 AUS R Laver 1 6 6 6 USA P Segura 2 1 1 South Africa 1928 C Drysdale 16 6 6 6 AUS A Stone 3 2 1 AUS R Laver 1 6 4 6 6 6 BRA T Koch 8 6 4 4 4 NZL I Crookenden 3 4 1 USA P Segura 6 6 6 South Africa 1928 C Drysdale 16 6 8 6 6 CHI L Ayala 4 10 0 3 NZL L Gerrard 4 7 2 AUS A Stone 6 9 6 Section 2 1 First round Second round Third round Round four USA A Ashe 5 6 9 6 AUS R Emerson 14 4 7 2 USA A Ashe 5 6 6 6 GBR P Hutchins 3 4 1 AUS R Emerson 14 6 6 6 USA J Borowiak 3 4 0 USA A Ashe 5 6 6 6 USA F Parker 3 2 2 GBR P Hutchins 6 6 4 2 6 PAK H Rahim 3 4 6 6 2 AUS R Emerson 14 10 6 6 USA S Giammalva Sr. 8 0 3 USA N Weld 6 4 4 2 USA J Borowiak 3 6 6 6 Section 3 First round Second round Third round Round four AUS J Newcombe 4 5 4 6 10 6 DEN T Ulrich 7 6 4 8 4 AUS J Newcombe 4 6 6 6 USA C McKinley 3 2 2 DEN T Ulrich 6 6 6 USA R McKinley 4 4 2 AUS J Newcombe 4 6 6 6 IND R Krishnan 4 4 2 USA EV Seixas 4 3 3 USA C McKinley 6 6 6 USA M Riessen 15 6 2 3 2 DEN T Ulrich 3 6 6 6 USA R McKinley 3 6 6 6 CHI J Fillol Sr. 6 3 4 2 AUS J Newcombe 4 6 6 6 USA A Quay 1 3 3 AUS W Jacques 12 6 0 4 IND R Krishnan 14 2 6 6 USA EV Seixas 8 6 6 USA T Gorman 6 4 3 USA W Tym 3 6 6 6 1 USA C McKinley 6 8 2 3 6 USA M Riessen 15 11 4 6 6 YUG Z Franulović 9 6 3 4 USA C Montgomery 4 3 3 DNK T Ulrich 6 6 6 USA R Goldman 12 7 2 USA R McKinley 14 9 6 CHL J Fillol Sr. 6 6 6 GBR C Bovett 4 1 0 Section 4 First round Second round Third round Round four USA C Graebner 7 7 6 6 USA E Scott 5 0 3 USA C Graebner 7 6 6 6 GBR R Taylor 3 4 4 USA P Gerken 2 6 4 USA E Scott 6 8 6 USA C Graebner 7 6 6 14 USA J McManus 1 4 12 USA T Mozur 5 3 4 GBR R Taylor 7 6 6 USA D O'Bryant 18 2 6 6 0 USA P Gerken 16 6 4 8 6 CHI P Cornejo 3 3 2 USA E Scott 6 6 6 USA C Graebner 7 6 1 7 6 IND P Lall 3 6 5 4 USA J McManus 6 6 8 USA S Stewart 3 4 6 ECU E Zuleta 1 1 3 USA T Mozur 6 6 6 CAN F Tutvin 3 1 1 GBR R Taylor 6 6 6 USA P Cranis LL 2 2 4 USA D O'Bryant 6 6 6 USA P Gerken 6 3 6 6 USA W Harris 2 6 3 0 CHL P Cornejo 6 6 12 USA T Leonard 4 4 10 USA G Taylor 9 10 4 USA E Scott 11 12 6 Section 5 First round Second round Third round Round four YUG N Pilić 6 2 7 11 3 USA D Ralston 6 2 6 5 13 6 YUG N Pilić 6 9 4 6 USA C Pasarell 12 4 7 6 4 MEX J Loyo-Mayo 11 2 6 5 1 USA D Ralston 6 9 6 3 7 6 YUG N Pilić 6 6 6 USA D Dell 1 4 2 USA T Edlefsen 1 7 2 USA C Pasarell 12 6 9 6 MEX J Loyo-Mayo 5 3 6 6 6 CAN J Sharpe 7 6 4 3 1 JAM R Russell 1 4 1 USA D Ralston 6 6 6 6 YUG N Pilić 6 6 3 6 USA B Seewagen 3 4 6 4 PRI T Carrero 4 3 6 6 7 USA D Dell 6 6 2 2 9 GBR B Knight 1 4 7 USA T Edlefsen 6 6 9 AUS K Coombes 9 5 1 USA C Pasarell 12 11 7 6 USA F Robbins 6 14 19 MEX J Loyo-Mayo 8 16 21 USA A Neely 6 3 3 7 3 CAN J Sharpe 3 6 6 5 6 USA S Pasarell 1 3 8 5 JAM R Russell 6 6 6 7 USA C Steele III 3 0 4 USA D Ralston 6 6 6 6 Section 6 First round Second round Third round Round four USA R Holmberg 3 3 6 6 AUS K Rosewall 3 6 6 2 8 USA R Holmberg 6 11 7 USA R Lutz 4 9 5 MEX M Lara 1 3 1 AUS K Rosewall 3 6 6 6 USA J Osborne 9 5 9 USA R Holmberg 11 7 11 USA R Lutz 6 8 2 6 7 South Africa 1928 R Moore 8 6 6 4 5 MEX M Lara 2 7 7 6 USA D Stockton 6 5 5 2 MEX A Palafox 0 1 0 AUS K Rosewall 3 6 6 6 USA B MacKay 6 6 5 3 USA J Osborne 8 4 7 6 USA R Holmberg 6 6 6 VEN H Hose 2 3 4 USA R Lutz 6 6 6 CAN P Burwash 1 1 3 South Africa 1928 R Moore 4 6 6 6 ESP 1945 A Gimeno 10 6 1 2 1 MEX M Lara 9 6 4 8 USA P Sullivan 7 1 6 6 USA R Perry 6 0 5 5 USA D Stockton 4 6 7 7 MEX A Palafox 6 4 6 6 USA E van Dillen 4 6 2 4 USA J Parker 3 3 4 AUS K Rosewall 3 6 6 6 Section 7 1 First round Second round Third round Round four GBR P Curtis 6 6 3 2 NLD T Okker 8 8 2 6 6 AUS J Brown 4 6 6 6 1 GBR P Curtis 6 3 4 8 6 FRA P Barthès 2 11 5 NLD T Okker 8 6 13 7 AUS J Brown 6 2 7 6 11 FRG I Buding 3 6 5 8 9 GBR P Curtis 6 6 4 6 8 AUS F Stolle 11 8 2 6 3 6 FRA P Barthès 14 6 9 USA P Fishbach 12 2 7 USA L Schloss 1 0 4 NLD T Okker 8 6 6 6 Section 8 1 First round Second round Third round Round four USA RP Gonzales 13 8 6 6 AUS T Roche 2 6 4 2 AUS M Anderson 4 4 4 USA RP Gonzales 13 6 6 6 USA A Olmedo 2 6 4 AUS T Roche 2 6 8 6 ECU P Guzmán 1 1 2 AUS M Anderson 6 6 6 AUS C Stubs 2 2 2 USA RP Gonzales 13 6 6 6 USA D Bleckinger w/o USA A Olmedo USA S Smith 6 8 6 4 4 AUS T Roche 2 3 10 3 6 6 Effects of Ashe's Victory Arthur Ashe's victory took the public by storm. Telegrams from fans, politicians, and celebrities began to flood in. One celebrity who celebrated the importance of Ashe's victory was Jackie Robinson. He stated that this victory would "bridge the gap between races and inspire black people the world over and also affect the decency of all Americans".Hall Eric Allen Arthur Ashe: tennis and justice in the Civil Rights era 2014 Johns Hopkins University Press 978-1-4214-1395-2 Baltimore, Md References External links Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) – 1968 US Open Men's Singles draw 1968 US Open – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation 1968 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles Grand Slam men's singles 1969 Australian Open – Men's singles 1968 M M