Five US Open titles sounds like a record—until you look at the champions who won seven. The answer depends on which era you count: early champions played under a different format, while the Open Era began in 1968 and brought professionals into the championships. Here are the key US Open records, with those distinctions made clear. The figures below are through the 2025 tournament.
Most US Open singles titles
Among men, three early champions share the all-time mark of seven singles titles: Richard Sears, Bill Larned and Bill Tilden. In the Open Era, the men’s record is five, shared by Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer. Federer’s five came consecutively, from 2004 through 2008.
The women’s all-time leader is Molla Mallory, with eight titles. In the Open Era, Chris Evert and Serena Williams each won six. Evert dominated in the 1970s and early 1980s; Williams’s victories spanned 1999 to 2014.
| Record | Player | Number | Useful context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most men’s singles titles, all eras | Richard Sears, Bill Larned, Bill Tilden | 7 each | All won before the Open Era |
| Most men’s singles titles, Open Era | Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer | 5 each | Federer won five in a row |
| Most women’s singles titles, all eras | Molla Mallory | 8 | Her wins came between 1915 and 1926 |
| Most women’s singles titles, Open Era | Chris Evert, Serena Williams | 6 each | Evert won four consecutively |
Those all-time totals need a little context. For much of the early championship’s history, the reigning champion received a direct place in the final and played only the challenger. That format differs sharply from today’s seven-round draw. The title totals are part of the sport’s record books, but they are not a like-for-like measure of the number of matches required to win.
Longest winning streaks and most match wins
Federer’s run of five straight championships is the standout men’s title streak of the Open Era. Evert’s four consecutive women’s titles, from 1975 to 1978, set the Open Era mark on the women’s side. Both streaks reflect more than a hot fortnight: they meant returning to New York year after year and handling the pressure of being the player everyone wanted to beat.
For total singles match victories at the tournament, Serena Williams leads the women with 108. Connors holds the men’s record with 98. These figures reward longevity as well as peak performance: a player has to make repeated deep runs, and keep winning, to build a total that large.
Youngest and oldest singles champions
In the Open Era, the youngest men’s singles champion is Sampras, who was 19 when he won in 1990. Tracy Austin holds the corresponding women’s record: she was 16 when she claimed the title in 1979. Austin’s victory remains a striking example of a teenager thriving under the attention and pressure of a major final.
At the other end of the age range, Ken Rosewall was 35 when he won the men’s title in 1970, making him the oldest men’s singles champion of the Open Era. Flavia Pennetta was 33 when she won the women’s title in 2015. She announced her retirement after the final, giving her first major singles championship a memorable ending.
| Open Era age record | Player | Year | Age at title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youngest men’s champion | Pete Sampras | 1990 | 19 |
| Youngest women’s champion | Tracy Austin | 1979 | 16 |
| Oldest men’s champion | Ken Rosewall | 1970 | 35 |
| Oldest women’s champion | Flavia Pennetta | 2015 | 33 |
Longest US Open matches
The longest US Open match by playing time was the 1992 men’s semifinal between Stefan Edberg and Michael Chang. Edberg won in five sets after 5 hours and 26 minutes. The length tells only part of the story: a five-set semifinal requires players to keep making tactical and physical adjustments long after a normal match might have ended.
The longest men’s singles final was the 2012 championship match. Andy Murray defeated Novak Djokovic in four hours and 54 minutes, winning 7–6, 7–5, 2–6, 3–6, 6–2. The match swung as Djokovic fought back to force a fifth set, but Murray regained control and earned his first major title.
| Match record | Players | Year | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longest match | Stefan Edberg def. Michael Chang | 1992 | 5 hours, 26 minutes |
| Longest men’s final | Andy Murray def. Novak Djokovic | 2012 | 4 hours, 54 minutes |
Why the records tell different stories
A title count measures championships; a match-win total captures sustained success; and a match-duration record celebrates a single contest. The numbers make more sense when read alongside those distinctions.
For example, Federer’s five straight titles show remarkable consistency across seasons, while Connors’s 98 match wins reflect an unusually long career at the tournament. The 2012 final, meanwhile, is remembered not for the number of titles either player had at that point, but for its momentum shifts and the challenge of sustaining high-level tennis deep into a fifth set.
Records can also change. Active players may add to their title totals or match wins, and annual events such as the longest match can be surpassed. When comparing historical marks, check whether a figure covers all eras or only the Open Era, and whether it refers to singles, doubles or another category.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has won the most US Open men’s singles titles?
Richard Sears, Bill Larned and Bill Tilden share the all-time record with seven titles each. In the Open Era, Connors, Sampras and Federer share the record with five.
Who has won the most US Open women’s singles titles?
Molla Mallory holds the all-time record with eight. In the Open Era, Evert and Williams are tied with six titles apiece.
What is the longest US Open match?
The 1992 semifinal between Edberg and Chang lasted 5 hours and 26 minutes. Edberg won in five sets.
Why are all-time title records different from Open Era records?
The Open Era began in 1968, when professional players became eligible to compete. Earlier US Championships also used formats in which the reigning champion could be placed directly in the final, so the path to a title was not the same as it is today.
Final Thoughts
The most famous US Open records belong to different kinds of excellence: Mallory’s eight titles, Federer’s five in a row, Connors’s 98 match wins and the marathon Edberg–Chang semifinal. Keep the era and category in view, and the record book becomes more than a list of numbers—it shows how players have found different ways to leave their mark on the tournament.
