The US Open men's singles championship is an annual tennis tournament that is part of the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows – Corona Park, New York City, United States. The US Open is played during a two-week period in late August and early September, and has been chronologically the last of the four Grand Slam tournaments of the tennis season since 1987. Newport (1881–1914), Forest Hills (1915–1920, 1924–1977), and Philadelphia (1921–1923) held the event before it settled in 1978 at the USTA National Tennis Center, now the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, in New York City. The inaugural tournament, in 1881, was reserved for United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) club members, before the championships opened to international competitors in 1882. From 1908 to 1914, when the championships were held at Newport, men's singles draws had exceeded 128 players, but when the event moved to Forest Hills in 1915 entries would be "submitted by clubs, thereby making the clubs weed out mediocre players. Furthermore, the entry fee would be set high enough to prevent cheapskates from entering just to get a seat at the tournament at a lower price and then defaulting". From 1881, all matches but the All-Comers final and the challenge round were played as the best-of-three sets, before the event switched to best-of-five for all rounds in 1886. Best-two-out-of-three-sets matches were reintroduced for early rounds in 1917, from 1943 to 1945, and from 1975 to 1978. In addition, the US Open was the first slam to have a fifth set tie-break.
The court surface changed twice, from grass (1881–1974), to Har-Tru clay (1975–1977), to DecoTurf hard courts, since 1978. The only man to win on all three surfaces, which are grass, Har-Tru clay, and DecoTurf hard was Jimmy Connors.
The champion receives a full-size replica of the event's trophy engraved with his name. In 2010, the winner received prize money of US$1,700,000. A bonus pool of $1,000,000 is also to US Open champions who have clinched the first place of the US Open Series.
In the U.S. National Championships, Richard Sears (1881–1887), William Larned (1901–1902, 1907–1911) and Bill Tilden (1920–1925, 1929) hold the record for most titles in the men's singles, with seven victories each. Four of Sears' wins and all of Larned's, came in a time when the tournament used a challenge round format, and they won respectively only three times and twice after going through a complete draw. Sears also holds the all-time record for most consecutive titles, with seven from (1881 to 1887); the first win came when the event was closed to foreign participants. Without the challenge round, the record stands at six, and is held by Tilden (1920–1925).
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| align=center|1881 || || style="background: #E0FFFF"| <small>(1/7)</small> * || || || 6–0, 6–3, 6–2
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| align=center|1882 || || <small>(2/7)</small>|| || || 6–1, 6–4, 6–0
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| align=center|1883 || || <small>(3/7)</small>|| || || 6–2, 6–0, 9–7
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| align=center|1884 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(4/7)</small> † || || || 6–0, 1–6, 6–0, 6–2
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| align=center|1885 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(5/7)</small> † || || || 6–3, 4–6, 6–0, 6–3
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| align=center|1886 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(6/7)</small> † || || || 4–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–4
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| align=center|1887 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(7/7)</small> † || || || 6–1, 6–3, 6–2
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| align=center|1888 || || style="background: #dAe4e6"| <small>(1/2)</small> ◊ || || || 6–4, 6–1, 6–0
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| align=center|1889 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(2/2)</small> † || || || 6–3, 6–1, 4–6, 6–2
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| align=center|1890 || || style="background: #d0f0c0"| <small>(1/3)</small> ‡ || || || 6–2, 4–6, 6–3, 6–1
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| align=center|1891 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(2/3)</small> † || || || 2–6, 7–5, 7–9, 6–1, 6–2
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| align=center|1892 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(3/3)</small> † || || || 7–5, 3–6, 6–3, 7–5
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| align=center|1893 || || style="background: #dAe4e6"| <small>(1/4)</small> ◊ || || || 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4
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| align=center|1894 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(2/4)</small> † || || || 6–8, 6–1, 6–4, 6–4
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| align=center|1895 || || style="background: #d0f0c0"| <small>(1/1)</small> ‡ || || || 6–3, 6–2, 6–4
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| align=center|1896 || || style="background: #d0f0c0"| <small>(3/4)</small> ‡ || || || 7–5, 3–6, 6–0, 1–6, 6–1
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| align=center|1897 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(4/4)</small> † || || || 4–6, 8–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–2
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| align=center|1898 || || style="background: #dAe4e6"| <small>(1/3)</small> ◊ || || || 3–6, 6–2, 6–2, 6–1
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| align=center|1899 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(2/3)</small> † || || || 6–1, 6–2, 3–6, 7–5
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| align=center|1900 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(3/3)</small> † || || || 6–4, 1–6, 6–2, 6–2
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| align=center|1901 || || style="background: #dAe4e6"| <small>(1/7)</small> ◊|| || || 6–2, 6–8, 6–4, 6–4
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| align=center|1902 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(2/7)</small> † || || || 4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 8–6
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| align=center|1903 || || style="background: #d0f0c0"| <small>(1/1)</small> ‡ || || || 6–0, 6–3, 10–8
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| align=center|1904 || || style="background: #dAe4e6"| <small>(1/1)</small> ◊ || || || 10–8, 6–4, 9–7
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| align=center|1905 || || style="background: #d0f0c0"| <small>(1/1)</small> ‡ || || || 6–2, 6–1, 11–9
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| align=center|1906 || || style="background: #d0f0c0"| <small>(1/1)</small> ‡ || || || 6–3, 6–0, 6–4
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| align=center|1907 || || style="background: #dAe4e6"| <small>(3/7)</small> ◊ || || || 6–2, 6–2, 6–4
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| align=center|1908 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(4/7)</small> † || || || 6–1, 6–2, 8–6
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| align=center|1909 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(5/7)</small> † || || || 6–1, 6–2, 5–7, 1–6, 6–1
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| align=center|1910 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(6/7)</small> † || || || 6–1, 5–7, 6–0, 6–8, 6–1
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| align=center|1911 || || style="background: #faecc8"| <small>(7/7)</small> † || || || 6–4, 6–4, 6–2
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| align=center|1912 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 3–6, 2–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–2
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| align=center|1913 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 6–4, 5–7, 6–3, 6–1
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| align=center|1914 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 6–3, 8–6, 10–8
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| align=center|1915 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 1–6, 6–0, 7–5, 10–8
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| align=center|1916 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 4–6, 6–4, 0–6, 6–2, 6–4
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| align=center|1917 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 5–7, 8–6, 6–3, 6–3
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| align=center|1918 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 6–3, 6–1, 7–5
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| align=center|1919 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 6–4, 6–4, 6–3
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| align=center|1920 || || <small>(1/7)</small>|| || || 6–1, 1–6, 7–5, 5–7, 6–3
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| align=center|1921 || || <small>(2/7)</small>|| || || 6–1, 6–3, 6–1
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| align=center|1922 || || <small>(3/7)</small>|| || || 4–6, 3–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–4
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| align=center|1923 || || <small>(4/7)</small>|| || || 6–4, 6–1, 6–4
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| align=center|1924 || || <small>(5/7)</small>|| || || 6–1, 9–7, 6–2
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| align=center|1925 || || <small>(6/7)</small>|| || || 4–6, 11–9, 6–3, 4–6, 6–3
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| align=center|1926 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 6–4, 6–0, 6–4
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| align=center|1927 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 11–9, 6–3, 11–9
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| align=center|1928 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–3
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| align=center|1929 || || <small>(7/7)</small>|| || || 3–6, 6–3, 4–6, 6–2, 6–4
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| align=center|1930 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 10–8, 1–6, 6–4, 16–14
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| align=center|1931 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 7–9, 6–3, 9–7, 7–5
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| align=center|1932 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 6–4, 6–4, 6–4
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| align=center|1933 || || <small>(1/3)</small>|| || || 6–3, 11–13, 4–6, 6–0, 6–1
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| align=center|1934 || || <small>(2/3)</small>|| || || 6–4, 6–3, 3–6, 1–6, 8–6
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| align=center|1935 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 6–2, 6–2, 6–3
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| align=center|1936 || || <small>(3/3)</small>|| || || 2–6, 6–2, 8–6, 1–6, 10–8
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| align=center|1937 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 6–1, 7–9, 6–1, 3–6, 6–1
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| align=center|1938 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 6–3, 6–8, 6–2, 6–1
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| align=center|1939 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 6–4, 6–2, 6–4
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| align=center|1940 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 4–6, 6–8, 6–3, 6–3, 7–5
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| align=center|1941 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 5–7, 6–1, 6–3, 6–3
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| align=center|1942 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 8–6, 7–5, 3–6, 4–6, 6–2
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| align=center|1943 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 6–3, 6–8, 10–8, 6–0
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| align=center|1944 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
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| align=center|1945 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 14–12, 6–1, 6–2
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| align=center|1946 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 9–7, 6–3, 6–0
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| align=center|1947 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 4–6, 2–6, 6–1, 6–0, 6–3
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| align=center|1948 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 6–2, 6–3, 14–12
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| align=center|1949 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 16–18, 2–6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–4
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| align=center|1950 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 6–3, 4–6, 5–7, 6–4, 6–3
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| align=center|1951 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 6–4, 6–1, 6–1
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| align=center|1952 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 6–1, 6–2, 6–3
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| align=center|1953 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 6–3, 6–2, 6–3
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| align=center|1954 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 3–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–4
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| align=center|1955 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 9–7, 6–3, 6–3
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| align=center|1956 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–3
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| align=center|1957 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 10–8, 7–5, 6–4
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| align=center|1958 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 6–2, 3–6, 4–6, 10–8, 8–6
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| align=center|1959 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 6–3, 5–7, 6–2, 6–4
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| align=center|1960 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 6–4, 6–4, 9–7
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| align=center|1961 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 7–5, 6–3, 6–2
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| align=center|1962 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 6–2, 6–4, 5–7, 6–4
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| align=center|1963 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 7–5, 6–4, 6–2
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| align=center|1964 || || <small>(2/2)</small>|| || || 6–4, 6–2, 6–4
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| align=center|1965 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 6–2, 7–9, 7–5, 6–1
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| align=center|1966 || || <small>(1/1)</small>|| || || 4–6, 12–10, 6–3, 6–4
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| align=center|1967 || || <small>(1/2)</small>|| || || 6–4, 6–4, 8–6
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US Open
thumb|170px|alt=A brown-haired man dressed in a white shirt swings a two-handed backhand|[[Jimmy Connors won the US Open five times on three different surfaces.]]
thumb|170px|alt=American John McEnroe at the 1979 ABN Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam|[[John McEnroe won four of his seven Majors at the US Open.]]
thumb|170px|alt=A black-haired man in white shorts and a white shirt prepares to serve with a modern racket|[[Pete Sampras captured five titles in New York City.]]
thumb|170px|alt=A brown-haired male tennis player with white shorts, a blue shirt and a blue headband swings a right-handed forehand on a hard court surface|[[Roger Federer won an Open Era record of five consecutive titles between 2004 and 2008.]]
thumb|170px|alt=A brown-haired male tennis player with black shorts, a green shirt and a black headband swings a left-handed backhand on a hard court surface|[[Rafael Nadal captured four titles in the 2010s decade. ]]
thumb|170px|[[Novak Djokovic won four titles. ]]
{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Country
!Champion
!Country
!Runner-up
!class="unsortable"|Score in the final