A US Open final can be a clash between established champions or the moment a rising player announces themselves to the world. If you’re searching for finalists, it helps to know whether you want a particular year’s matchup, a recent list, or the players who have reached the final most often. Here’s a guide to the singles finals, their records and what makes the tournament’s last match distinctive.
Recent US Open singles finalists
The table covers the men’s and women’s singles finals from 2020 through 2025. It names the champion first and the runner-up second. The 2026 finalists are not included here; check the official tournament draw for that edition’s completed results.
| Year | Men’s singles final | Women’s singles final |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner | Aryna Sabalenka defeated Amanda Anisimova |
| 2024 | Jannik Sinner defeated Taylor Fritz | Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula |
| 2023 | Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev | Coco Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka |
| 2022 | Carlos Alcaraz defeated Casper Ruud | Iga Świątek defeated Ons Jabeur |
| 2021 | Daniil Medvedev defeated Novak Djokovic | Emma Raducanu defeated Leylah Fernandez |
| 2020 | Dominic Thiem defeated Alexander Zverev | Naomi Osaka defeated Victoria Azarenka |
Those matchups capture the range of stories a final can deliver. In 2021, Raducanu and Fernandez made an unusually young, first-time-major-final pairing. In 2023, Gauff won her first major singles title in front of a home crowd after losing the opening set. And in 2024, Sinner became the first Italian man to win the US Open singles title, while Sabalenka claimed her first championship in New York after two previous semifinal losses.
What “US Open finalists” usually means
Unless a search specifies doubles or mixed doubles, “US Open finalists” generally refers to the two players in each singles championship match. The men’s and women’s singles events have separate finals, each with a champion and a runner-up. The tournament also awards titles in men’s doubles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles and junior events, so a full list of every US Open final would include many more matches.
The US Championships began in 1881 as a men’s event; women’s singles was added in 1887. The tournament took the name US Open when it entered the Open Era in 1968, allowing professional players to compete alongside amateurs. That change matters when comparing records: a player’s Open Era total covers a different span of the event’s history from an all-time total.
Who has reached the most US Open finals?
Several names stand out for winning the men’s singles title five times in the Open Era: Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer. Connors’ five victories came across a long stretch from 1974 to 1983. Sampras won five times between 1990 and 2002, while Federer’s five consecutive titles from 2004 to 2008 remain one of the tournament’s defining runs.
On the women’s side, Serena Williams and Chris Evert each won six US Open singles titles in the Open Era. Evert’s victories came between 1975 and 1982. Williams’ six were spread across 1999 to 2014, a span that included several different generations of challengers. Those totals count titles, not all appearances in the final; reaching the championship match repeatedly is a separate measure of sustained success.
These figures are for singles and the Open Era, rather than every event or every year since the tournament began. Earlier champions such as Richard Sears and Molla Mallory also hold major all-time records from the pre-Open Era. It’s worth checking how a record is defined before comparing a modern player with a champion from the tournament’s earliest decades.
Why the US Open final is different
New York’s hard courts reward players who can combine aggressive first-strike tennis with enough control to survive long rallies. The US Open’s night sessions can add another layer: the crowd is close, the noise can rise quickly, and players have to manage momentum as well as tactics. A player who looks comfortable in the first set may still face a very different test once an opponent finds a return position or starts attacking the second serve.
That makes adjustments especially important. In the 2023 women’s final, Gauff responded after dropping the first set, extending rallies and making Sabalenka work for openings. In the 2020 men’s final, Thiem and Zverev traded momentum through a five-set match, with Thiem eventually winning a deciding-set tiebreak. Such matches show why a finalist’s ability to reset between sets can matter as much as a strong start.
For fans, the runner-up’s performance is often part of the story too. A finalist has already survived six rounds in a 128-player singles draw, including a demanding semifinal just days before the championship match. Reaching the final is a major achievement, even when the player leaves without the trophy.
How to find a particular year’s finalists
- For the latest edition: Look up the year and the men’s or women’s singles draw; the two players listed in the final are that event’s finalists.
- For historical matchups: Specify the year, since a finalist list changes from one tournament to the next.
- For doubles: Name the event—men’s, women’s or mixed—because those finals have different competitors from singles.
- For records: Check whether a statistic refers to titles, final appearances, or Open Era results. They are not interchangeable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the 2025 US Open singles finalists?
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in the men’s final. Aryna Sabalenka defeated Amanda Anisimova in the women’s final.
Who has won the most US Open men’s singles titles in the Open Era?
Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer share the Open Era record, with five titles each.
Who holds the women’s Open Era singles title record?
Serena Williams and Chris Evert share the record, with six US Open singles titles apiece.
Does “US Open finalists” include doubles?
Not usually. The phrase commonly means the men’s and women’s singles finalists, but the tournament also has men’s, women’s and mixed doubles finals.
Final Thoughts
US Open finalists are more than the two names attached to a trophy presentation. Their matchups chart the tournament’s changing generations, styles and pressure points—from established champions defending their place to newcomers making a breakthrough. For a specific result, always pair the year with the event, especially when distinguishing singles from doubles.
