On Aug. 25, 1997, Arthur Ashe Stadium was dedicated. An elegant on-court ceremony featured Ashe’s widow, Jeanne Moutassamy-Ashe, singer Whitney Houston and 38 former champions, celebrating the new facility – and the enduring greatness of Arthur Ashe. As six-time US Open champion Chris Evert said that evening, “I don’t think he’s the only player who transcended tennis, but what made him different was that certainly with him, it was never just about tennis. It was about people, about helping out.”
The first match played that evening featured Tamarine Tanasugarn beating American Chanda Rubin, 6-4, 6-0. Since then, Arthur Ashe Stadium has been the scene for hundreds of memorable moments – powerful occasions that command attention both inside and outside the lines. As the biggest stadium in tennis turns 20, here’s a look at 20 of the more notable.
Related: Love-20: Arthur Ashe Stadium still shines
1997: A Star Is Born
There come those rare moments when person, place and time line up perfectly. Such was the case in 1997. It was the year Arthur Ashe Stadium opened. And it was also the year a 17-year-old named Venus Williams made her US Open debut. Skilled and passionate, bold and fearless, Williams set the world on fire in the semis, fighting off two match points versus Irina Spirlea – one with a down-the-line backhand pass that’s one of the most remarkable shots in US Open history. Though Williams would lose the final to Martina Hingis, the message was clear: A star was born.
1998: Native Daughter Triumphs
Few plot lines are more heart-warming than that of the surprising late bloomer. Though always a top junior and a Top 10 pro, Lindsay Davenport preferred to set the bar of expectation low. “I’m not the most unbelievable athlete, I’m not anything,” Davenport said during the ’98 US Open. “I just tried hard to get where I’m at.” Her efforts paid off handsomely that year. On a blazing Saturday afternoon, up against defending champion Martina Hingis in the final, Davenport capped off a 15-stroke rally with a cross-court backhand winner to take the title, 6-3, 7-5. Said Davenport, “I never thought I’d win it here.”
2000: Busting Loose with Todd Martin
Over the years, Todd Martin had played his share of fine matches at the US Open, highlighted by a run to the final in ’99. Yet loud as it could get in New York, this was a man who spoke softly and carried a big stick. But over the course of one summer night, Martin entered new territory. Down two sets to love versus Carlos Moya, an impassioned Martin fought well past midnight – leveling the match and eventually winning, 6-7 (3), 6-7 (7), 6-1, 7-6 (6), 6-2. Elated at an effort that had taken four hours and 17 minutes and ended at 1:22 a.m., Martin burst out of character, running through the stands and giving high-fives to all the fans who’d remained. Only in New York.
2000: Hail to the Chief
It was the final September of President Bill Clinton’s eight years in the White House. So why not, on this glorious afternoon, take in Super Saturday at the US Open? This was the only time a sitting American president has come to the US Open. Sitting in a suite with USTA President Judy Levering, joined for a time by John McEnroe, President Clinton savored a day that saw Pete Sampras and Marat Safin reach the final and Venus Williams win the women’s singles title. President Clinton also visited another friend, a wealthy New Yorker who loved tennis and long been a US Open suite holder: Donald Trump.
2001: Sister Act Goes Prime Time
It’s likely the most amazing story in sports history. From Compton, Calif., not just one, but two young ladies, a pair of sisters reaching the pinnacle. All of it came vividly to life when Venus and Serena Williams reached the 2001 US Open final – a match that would be the first prime-time US Open singles final in history. “I think this night is another moment to cherish,” said Billie Jean King. Venus would win the match, but most of all, the two sisters had taken the sport to dazzling new heights of power, poise and popularity.
2002: Beyond the Lines
One year earlier, New York City had been the center of global catastrophe – 9/11. So it was that the 2002 US Open kicked off with “Salute to Heroes,” a special tribute to the Big Apple’s enduring grit. NYPD, FDNY and Port Authority color guards received standing ovations. Tony Bennett sang “America the Beautiful” and Queen Latifah performed our national anthem. The Ground Zero “Heroes Flag” was unfurled. Nightly tributes were held throughout the tournament. Fittingly, both singles finals featured Americans – Venus Williams and Serena Williams, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. As New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on opening night, “This year’s US Open is special.”
2002: Going Out in Style
Pete Sampras had won the US Open in his teens and 20s. But as the ’02 US Open began, the 31-year-old hadn’t won a title of any sort in more than two years – including suffering two consecutive straight-set losses in US Open finals. Seeded just 17th in ’02, Sampras gradually caught fire and once again found himself one win away from a fifth US Open victory. Fittingly, across the net stood his biggest rival, Andre Agassi. With trademark attacking tennis, Sampras broke Agassi at 4-all in the fourth and served it out. “This one takes the cake,” said Sampras. Months later, Sampras would announce his retirement. It had been a storybook finish to a fantastic career.
2003: Justine Time
Rain disrupted the 2003 US Open, to the point where the women’s semis, traditionally played on Friday afternoon, were pushed into evening. It was past 9 p.m. when Justine Henin and Jennifer Capriati entered Ashe Stadium. The wait was worth it, the two playing a gem of a match that saw just about every shot in the book – most notably Capriati’s fiery ground strokes and Henin’s rainbow-like array. Twice Capriati served for the match. But in the end, at 12:27 a.m. Saturday morning, Henin had won it, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6. Not going asleep until 3:45 a.m., awake less than five hours later, Henin that evening would take a swift 81 minutes to take down her compatriot, Kim Clijsters, in the final – two wins on the same day.
2005: Instant Classic
When you talk about US Open night matches, it would be hard to top the masterpiece composed Andre Agassi and James Blake in the 2005 US Open quarterfinals. For Agassi, this was familiar territory. For Blake, it was a brave new world, his first trip to the final eight of a major – and also part of an amazing comeback that in the last year had seen Blake recover from major health problems and the loss of his father. This match crackled with firepower, initially mostly from Blake, who took the first two sets, 6-3, 6-3. But Agassi countered to take the next two by the same score. The fifth was magnificent, the level rising as the clock passed midnight. In the end, though, Agassi squeaked it out, 8-6 in the fifth-set tiebreak. Well aware of what he and Blake had created, Agassi said immediately afterward, “One-fifteen in the morning … 20,000 people watching. I wasn’t the winner here, tennis was.”
2006: The Once and Future King
What was it about the year 1943? First there was Arthur Ashe, born July 10. Four months and 12 days later came Billie Jean Moffitt, later known more famously as Billie Jean King. Inside the lines, these two were champions. Outside, they were even more – a pair of visionaries who used tennis as a means to change the world. So it was that on Aug. 28, 2006, the USTA renamed its facility the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in an elegant dedication ceremony featuring King, Chris Evert, Venus Williams, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors. “This is a show of faith and respect,” King said prior to the event. “And with it a sense of responsibility.”
2006: Andre Bids Adieu
He’d started as a boy, brash and flashy. By 2006, Andre Agassi had become a man, fully aware of all tennis had meant to him – and all he had meant to tennis. He had made it known that the 2006 US Open would be his last tournament. Following his third-round loss to Benjamin Becker, there had been four minutes of sustained cheers. Then came just under a minute of unvarnished Agassi. “The scoreboard said I lost today,” said Agassi. “But what the scoreboard doesn't say is what it is I have found. Over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I found inspiration … and I will take you and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life.”
2007: The Original Pioneer
Long before Arthur Ashe, long before Billie Jean King, there had been Althea Gibson (1927-2003). Gibson had been the original pioneer, the first African-American woman to compete at the U.S. Championships in 1950 – and, by 1957, the first to win the title. Fifty years later, the USTA staged “Breaking Barriers,” a ceremony honoring Gibson’s considerable legacy that starred such notables as Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Ambassador Carol Mosely Braun, Dr. Mae Jemison and singers Roberta Flack and Aretha Franklin. There followed a pair of matches played by the Williams sisters. Praising Gibson that evening, Serena said, “I’ve always dreamt of being on the same level as her.”
2009: Hello, Mama
There had always been an affable aspect to Kim Clijsters that belied her deeper passion for competition. But, having retired in May 2007, in early 2009 she decided to return to tennis that summer. Clijsters’ thinking was that she’d ease her way in and play three events in North America as preparation for 2010. Little did the kindly Belgian know that by the US Open she’d be on fire. Step by step, she made her way through the draw, taking out the reigning titleholder, Serena Williams, in the semis and the ascending Dane, Caroline Wozniacki, in the final. But the enduring image of that year’s US Open was Clijsters’ 18-month-old daughter, Jada, joining her on court for the trophy ceremony. Amazingly, Clijsters had become the first mother in nearly 30 years to win a Grand Slam singles title.
2009: Gentle Giant Ends Federer’s Reign
Juan Martin del Potro had never played a Grand Slam final. And now, here he was, in the biggest stadium in tennis, taking on a man who hadn’t lost at the US Open in six years. So when Roger Federer served for a two sets to love lead at 5-4, 30-love, it appeared del Potro should simply be content with a fine run. But then it all turned around. del Potro took that game, the set, and just past the four-hour mark, ran away with the fifth, 6-2. It was a stunning reversal. “To win in five against Federer makes it even more special,” said del Potro. Though likely shocked to see the tables turn this way, Federer graciously said, “Six would have been a dream, but you can’t have them all.”
2010: Nadal Earns Career Slam
Rafael Nadal’s roots on clay had long made him a natural defender. But as his career advanced, Nadal had enhanced his offense – a slice backhand, deft volleys and, by the 2010 US Open, a vastly improved serve. Having already that year won Roland Garros and Wimbledon, Nadal was healthy and confident in New York, reaching the final without the loss of a set. Up against Novak Djokovic, weathering rain, thunder and lightning, Nadal thoroughly commanded the court, his 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 triumph making him only the sixth man in tennis history to earn a career sweep of all four majors.
2011: Djokovic Takes His Best Shot
There stood Novak Djokovic, one point away from another late-stage US Open exit. By this point he’d lost twice in the final, twice in the semis. And now, there was Roger Federer, serving for the match at 5-3, 40-15 in the fifth. In came the delivery, 108 miles per hour, wide to Djokovic’s forehand. At which point, the Serb struck a massive cross-court forehand – a stone-cold winner. From there, everything changed. Federer misfired on a forehand on the next point, Djokovic broke and, soon enough, the Serb had won the match. “If you’re playing somebody like Roger, you have to take your chances when you have them,” said Djokovic. He’d go on to take title versus Nadal, avenging his 2010 loss in the final.
2012: Roddick Farewell
On August 30, 2012 – his 30th birthday – Andy Roddick announced that the ‘12 US Open would be his last tournament. It had been a remarkable run, Roddick winning the juniors in 2000 and just three years later winning the men’s singles title. In 2012, there came three victories, most notably versus Bernard Tomic and Fabio Fognini. But in the fourth round, it ended for Roddick versus Juan Martin del Potro, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4. As Roddick addressed the entire crowd, he confessed that, “For the first time in my career, I’m not sure what to say. ... I felt lucky just to sit where all of you are sitting today, to watch this game, to see the champions that have come and gone. I’ve loved every minute of it.”
2012: British Breakthrough
Andy Murray had probably known this statistic since he first started to walk: Not since 1936, when Fred Perry won the U.S. Championships, had a British man won a Grand Slam singles championship. In 2012, having joined forces with three-time US Open champion Ivan Lendl, Murray’s game improved – his mental outlook most of all. That year in New York, Murray reached the fifth Grand Slam final of his career. Up against the defending champion, Novak Djokovic, Murray took the first two sets. And even after Djokovic won the next two, Murray held strong, winning the decider handily, 6-2. It had taken nearly five hours, but at last Murray had ended his homeland’s drought. Asked to describe his feelings in a single world, Murray’s answer: “Relief.”
2015: Serena Slam Derailed
Serena Williams had left a major mark on the US Open – precocious champion at 17, enduring icon into her 30s. But as the 2015 US Open got underway, she appeared on the verge of an even greater achievement: a calendar-year sweep of all four majors. All seemed on course as Serena made her way to the semis, set to take on 43rd-ranked Roberta Vinci. But then the plot took a twist. With exceptional creativity and off-the-charts execution, Vinci played the match of her life, upsetting Serena, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. Well aware of what her win had meant, Vinci even apologized. “For the American people, for Serena, for the Grand Slam and everything,” she said. “But today is my day. Sorry, guys.”
2016: New and Improved US Open
It may have been a friendly competition, but it was still a competition: The race among Grand Slam events to build the best possible facility. So it was that in 2016, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center took several major steps forward. There was the debut of the $150 million roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium, seamlessly integrated into the biggest stadium in tennis. And there was the new Grandstand, an enchanting, 16-sided stadium boasting a tidy capacity of 8,125. Along with subtle renovations to the walkways and field courts, it was clear in 2016 that the US Open had once again upped its game – and, per the terms of engagement, raised the ante for the other Slams.
