The US Open is an annual court tennis (also known as real tennis) tournament run by the United States Court Tennis Association. The event is open to top professional and amateur players from around the world. The location rotates each year between the Tennis and Racquet Club in Boston, the Tuxedo Club in Tuxedo, New York, the Racquet Club of Chicago, the Racquet Club of Philadelphia, and Westwood Country Club. The event has also previously been held at the Racquet and Tennis Club in New York, but it was removed from the rotation due to its male-only policy. The women's rotation excludes Chicago but also includes Prince's Court in Virginia and the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Rhode Island. The men's event carrys ranking points and forms part of the qualification pathway for the Real Tennis World Championship. The women's event does not carry any ranking points.
History
Early years
The Open championship was first conceived as a challenge between the top amateur and top professional players in the country. The tournament was first contested in 1919 between the US Amateur Champion and former World Champion Jay Gould II and World Squash Champion and professional Walter Kinsella in a best of thirteen set challenge over three days at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia. Gould won all four sets on the opening day in a display reminiscent of his World Championship against Fred Covey. However Kinsella rallied on the second day, winning the sixth through eighth sets. Gould won two of three sets on the final day to become the first Open champion.
The title would next be contested in 1921, with a play-off tournament to earn the right to challenge Gould for the championship. In the final of the bracket, Jock Soutar beat Cecil Fairs on his home court of Philadelphia three sets to two. In the challenge against Gould, played as a best of 9 set match, Gould was dominant, winning five sets to one, making just eight unforced errors on the second day. At the conclusion of the match, Kinsella lodged a challenge for a further defense of the title, but it was refused as he did not participate in the earlier play-off.
The Open would not again be contested during Gould's career. The title would next be contested in 1934 in New York with an open field with three amateurs and ten professionals participating. Kinsella won the final in straight sets over Jack White in straight sets. Kinsenlla had barely played in the lead up to the tournament, his last competition being his challenge to Soutar for the 1927 US Professional title.
The next contest for the championship would be in 1951 in Boston. It was won by Alistair Martin over Philadelphia professional James Dunn in four sets of a best of five match.
Open era
Following the establishment of the United States Court Tennis Association in 1955, the Open championship would be contested annually. The first four editions were won by New York professional Jack Johnson, defeating a field of amateurs that included future World Champion Northrup Knox. A doubles draw was first contested in 1959. The 1960s saw the dominance of brothers Jimmy and George Bostwick, winning ten singles titles between them and three doubles titles as a pair. In the mid-1970s, the brothers gave way to Eugene Scott, who won five consecutive championships between 1973 and 1977.
The event would enter the modern era in the early 1980s following the movement of the British Open and Australian Open to annual events, and with the establishment of the French Open. The event transitioned from an annual meeting of the top US based professionals and amateurs to one stop on a global calendar featuring the top players from around the world. James Burke would be the last American to win the event for 25 years in 1978, while Barry Toates was the first Australian victor in 1979. Notably, Chris Ronaldson became the first player to win a calendar year grand slam in 1980 by winning the national Open in all four countries. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the dominant player was the Australian professional at New York, Wayne Davies, who won the event 9 times. In 1984, the US Ladies Open was held for the first time, albeit at a different date and venue to the Men's Open. It would regularly attract the top female players from Great Britain, with no American having won the title since 1999.
Despite having earlier won the US Open in 1993, it wouldn't be until the 2000s when long-standing World Champion Robert Fahey would make his mark on the championship, winning it seven times between 2000 and 2008. His only defeats came to American Tim Chisholm in 2003 and 2004. In 2009 Camden Riviere became the second American to win the title since 1978, shortly after his challenge for the 2008 Real Tennis World Championship. Riviere would then claim 12 consecutive titles between 2013 and 2024 to become the most prolific winner in the history of the event. Riviere and Chisholm would combine for 12 consecutive doubles titles over the same period. Over a similar time period, Claire Fahey dominated the women's draw, winning 11 titles between 2008 and 2025 without a match defeat.
Past finals
Men's singles
YearChampionsRunners-upScore Challenge era1919 Jay Gould II 1921 Jay Gould II 1951 Alistair Martin Open era1956 A. B. Johnson 1957 A. B. Johnson 1958 A. B. Johnson 1959 A. B. Johnson 1960 James Bostwick 1961 James Bostwick 1962 James Bostwick 1963 A. B. Johnson 1964 R. Hughes 1965 A. B. Johnson 1966 Pete Bostwick 1967 James Bostwick 1968 Pete Bostwick 1969 James Bostwick 1970 James Bostwick 1971 Pete Bostwick 1972 James Bostwick 1973 Eugene Scott 1974 Eugene Scott 1975 Eugene Scott 1976 Eugene Scott 1977 Eugene Scott 1978 James Burke 1979 Barry Toates 1980 Chris Ronaldson 1981 Graham Hyland 1982 Wayne Davies 1983 Wayne Davies 1984 Chris Ronaldson 1985 Wayne Davies 1986 Chris Ronaldson 1987 Graham Hyland 1988 Wayne Davies 1989 Wayne Davies 1990 Wayne Davies 1991 Lachlan Deuchar 1992 Lachlan Deuchar 1993 Robert Fahey 1994 Wayne Davies 1995 Wayne Davies 1996 Julian Snow Wayne Davies 6/3 4/6 6/4 6/41997 Julian Snow Lachlan Deuchar 6/1 6/3 6/11998 Chris Bray Julian Snow 3/6 6/4 6/4 6/51999 Wayne Davies 2000 Robert Fahey 2001 Robert Fahey 2002 Robert Fahey 2003 Tim Chisholm Chris Bray 6/4 5/6 6/4 6/02004 Tim Chisholm Ruaraidh Gunn 6/1 6/0 6/12005 Robert Fahey Tim Chisholm 6/4 6/2 6/22006 Robert Fahey Steve Virgona 6/2 6/3 6/32007 Robert Fahey Steve Virgona 6/2 6/3 1/6 6/12008 Robert Fahey Steve Virgona 6/0 6/5 6/32009 Camden Riviere Steve Virgona 6/2 6/5 6/12010 James Stout Bryn Sayers 6/2 6/2 3/6 6/22011 Steve Virgona Camden Riviere 6/2 6/4 6/32012 Bryn Sayers Steve Virgona 0/6 6/5 4/6 6/3 6/12013 Camden Riviere Steve Virgona 6/2 6/4 6/12014 Camden Riviere James Stout 6/1 6/0 6/02015 Camden Riviere Robert Fahey 6/0 6/1 4/6 6/32016 Camden Riviere Steve Virgona 6/2 6/4 6/12017 Camden Riviere Robert Fahey 6/4 6/4 6/32018 Camden Riviere Robert Fahey 6/3 6/2 6/02019 Camden Riviere Robert Fahey 6/3 6/3 6/32020 Camden Riviere Nick Howell 6/1 6/1 6/12021 Camden Riviere John Lumley 6/3 6/3 6/22022 Camden Riviere Robert Fahey 6/2 6/3 6/52023 Camden Riviere John Lumley 6/1 6/2 1/6 6/22024 Camden Riviere John Lumley 6/0 4/6 3/6 6/2 6/22025 John Lumley Camden Riviere 4/6 3/6 6/5 6/1 6/4
Women's singles
YearChampionsRunners-upScore1984 Lesley Ronaldson 1985 Elizabeth Woodthorpe 1986 Sally Jones 1987 Jane Hyland 1988 Jane Lippincott 1989 Sally Jones 1990 Alice Bartlett 1991 Charlotte Cornwallis 1992 Lissen Tutrone 1993 Helen Mursell 1994 Jane Lippincott 1995 Katrina Allen 1996 Sue Haswell 1997 Penny Lumley 1998 Penny Lumley Fiona Deuchar 6/0 6/01999 Jane Lippincott 2000 Penny Lumley 2001 Penny Lumley 2002 Penny Lumley 2003 Penny Lumley 2004 Charlotte Cornwallis Penny Lumley 6/5 6/32005 Charlotte Cornwallis Frederika Adam 6/5 6/12006 Charlotte Cornwallis Sue Haswell 6/1 6/02007 Charlotte Cornwallis Karen Hird 6/1 6/22008 Claire Fahey Sue Haswell 6/2 6/12009 Charlotte Cornwallis Frederika Adam 6/1 6/32010 Claire Fahey Frederika Adam 6/0 6/22011 Claire Fahey Aldona Greenwood 6/0 6/22012 Claire Fahey Karen Hird 6/3 6/32013 Tara Lumley Karen Hird 4/6 6/4 6/02014 Claire Fahey Amanda Avedissian 6/1 6/02015 Penny Lumley Tara Lumley 6/0 6/42016 Irina Dulbish Amanda Avedissian 5/6 6/0 6/02017 Claire Fahey Tara Lumley 6/0 6/12018 Saskia Bollerman Tara Lumley 6/5 6/12019 Claire Fahey Tara Lumley 6/2 6/22020-2021 Not held2022 Claire Fahey Frederika Adam 6/0 6/12023 Claire Fahey Lea Van Der Zwalmen 6/3 6/32024 Claire Fahey Jo See Tan 6/0 6/02025 Claire Fahey Lea Van Der Zwalmen 6/4 6/0
Men's doubles
YearChampionsRunners-upScore 1959 Alastair Martin / Robert Grant III 1960 James Dunn / W. I. Forbes Jnr. 1961 James Dunn / W. I. Forbes Jnr. 1962 James Dunn / W. I. Forbes Jnr. 1963 Alastair Martin / Northrup Knox 1964 James Dunn / William Vogt 1965 James Dunn / William Vogt 1966 James Dunn / William Vogt 1967 James Dunn / William Vogt 1968 G. H.. Bostwick Jr. / J. F. C. Bostwick 1969 G. H.. Bostwick Jr. / J. F. C. Bostwick 1970 G. H.. Bostwick Jr. / J. F. C. Bostwick 1971 Alastair Martin / Eugene Scott 1972 Samuel Howe / Edward Noll 1973 Jerry Bijur / Luis Dominguez 1974 Eugene Scott / Samuel Howe 1976 J. F. Sammis III / Roger Tuckerman 1977 Norwood Cripps / Chris Ronaldson 1978 Eugene Scott / Ogden Phipps 1979 Eugene Scott / Barry Toates 1980 Graham Hyland / Ogden Phipps 1981 Graham Hyland / Ogden Phipps 1982 Ogden Phipps / Wayne Davies 1983 Barry Toates / Frank Faulderbaum 1984 Lachlan Deuchar / Kevin Sheldon 1985 James Burke / Peter Clement 1986 Wayne Davies / Peter DeSvastich 1987 Graham Hyland / David Collins 1988 Wayne Davies / Peter DeSvastich 1989 Lachlan Deuchar / Peter DeSvastich 1990 Robert Fahey / Peter Meares 1991 Wayne Davies / Lachlan Deuchar 1992 Julian Snow / Robert Fahey 1993 Julian Snow / Robert Fahey 1994 Chris Bray / Mike Gooding 1995 Chris Bray / Mike Gooding 1996 Julian Snow / Nick Wood Chris Bray / Mike Gooding 6/4 4/6 6/3 6/2 1997 Julian Snow / James Male Mike Gooding / Lachlan Deuchar 6/2 1/6 6/2 6/4 1998 Ruaraidh Gunn / Steve Virgona Andrew Lyons / Will Simonds 6/1 6/1 6/1 1999 Julian Snow / James Male 2000 Julian Snow / Nick Wood 2001 Chris Bray / Nick Wood 2002 Mike Gooding / Nick Wood 2003 Mike Gooding / Nick Wood 2004 Tim Chisholm / Morris Clothier 2005 Robert Fahey / Ruaraidh Gunn 2006 Tim Chisholm / Camden Riviere 2007 Robert Fahey / Steve Virgona Mike Gooding / Nick Wood 2/6 6/3 6/5 6/0 2008 Robert Fahey / Steve Virgona Ruaraidh Gunn / Camden Riviere 6/2 6/3 6/3 2009 Camden Riviere / Nick Wood Robert Fahey / Steve Virgona 6/5 5/6 6/2 6/2 2010 Steve Virgona / Ben Taylor-Matthews Tim Chisholm / Camden Riviere 6/5 6/5 6/1 2011 Steve Virgona / Robert Fahey Tim Chisholm / Camden Riviere 6/1 6/2 6/1 2012 Steve Virgona / Tim Chisholm Bryn Sayers / Kieran Booth 2/6 6/4 6/3 6/1 2013 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm Bryn Sayers / Steve Virgona 6/2 6/5 6/1 2014 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm James Stout / Mike Gooding 6/2 6/4 4/6 6/1 2015 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm Steve Virgona / Kieran Booth 6/2 6/2 6/3 2016 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm Steve Virgona / Chris Chapman 6/4 6/5 6/0 2017 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm Steve Virgona / Chris Chapman 6/3 6/0 6/3 2018 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm Robert Fahey / Nick Howell 6/2 6/0 1/6 6/1 2019 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm Robert Fahey / Nick Howell 6/5 6/4 6/4 2020 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm Steve Virgona / Ben Taylor-Matthews 6/5 6/5 5/6 6/4 2021 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm Steve Virgona / Ben Taylor-Matthews 6/5 6/5 5/6 6/4 2022 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm Robert Fahey / Nick Howell 6/1 6/4 6/2 2023 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm Ben Taylor-Matthews / Nick Howell 6/1 5/6 6/0 6/2 2024 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm John Lumley / Steve Virgona 6/1 5/6 6/2 5/6 6/42025 Camden Riviere / Tim Chisholm John Lumley / Steve Virgona 6/1 5/6 6/4 6/2
Women's doubles