It was a US Open in which youth and age were served as 19-year-old Coco Gauff became the first American teenager since Serena Williams in 1999 to win the women’s singles title, while Novak Djokovic became the oldest singles champion.
Gauff, Williams and Tracy Austin (in 1979) are the only three American teens to win the title in the Open Era, which began in 1968 with professionals being allowed to play in the four Grand Slam tournaments, or majors – the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. In the Open Era, Americans have never failed to win the women’s singles championship in a six-year span, which was underscored by Gauff’s win.
In becoming the oldest singles champion, Djokovic, who returns today – Monday, Sept. 11 -- to the number one men’s ranking for a record 390th week, beat out Ken Rosewall, who was just two months shy of his 36th birthday when won the men’s title in 1970.
Wettfreunde.net has had fun compiling all the records that were tied or broken in the tournament. The biggest, of course, involved the Serbian Djokovic tying Australia’s Margaret Court Smith for the most Grand Slam singles titles with 24.
In doubles, Rajeev Ram (United States) and Joe Salisbury (Great Britain) became the first duo to win the men’s doubles championship at the US Open three consecutive times; Gabriela Dabrowski became the first player representing Canada ever to win the US Open women’s doubles championship (with Australia’s Errin Routliffe); and Anna Danilina (Kazakhstan) and Harri Heliövaara (Finland) became the first players from their representative countries to win the mixed doubles title at the US Open.
Here are some other Open Era records from the US Open, which concluded Sunday, Sept. 10, courtesy of the sports betting site:
Men’s singles
Djokovic extended his record for the most appearances in the US Open men’s singles finals, appearing 10 times.
He became the first player to reach 10 singles finals in multiple Grand Slam events. In January, he reached his 10th Australian Open final (and won), and he won his 10th final in this year’s US Open.
He broke his tie with Roger Federer (Switzerland) for the most semifinals appearances in Grand Slams (46) when he reached the 2023 US Open men’s singles semifinals for the 47th time.
Djokovic also extended his record for the most men’s singles match wins at the US Open for an active player (from 81 to 88 wins. The overall record is held by Jimmy Connors, who had 98 wins.)
Djokovic and Richard Gasquet (France) made their 72nd main draw appearances in a Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open, which extended their record for the second most main-draw appearances in Grand Slams. (Federer and Spain’s Feliciano Lopez are tied for first place with 81 appearances each.)
Djokovic became the third male player in the Open Era to win the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open in a calendar year after Rod Laver (1968, Australia) and Mats Wilander (1988, Sweden).
Djokovic broke his tie with Federer to become the male player who has most often won three Grand Slam tournaments in a calendar year. Djokovic has done it four times, in 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023.
He extended his record for the most time spent on court in 2023 Grand Slam events - 77 hours, 4 minutes.
And finally, Djokovic extended his record for the most converted break points of 2023 Grand Slams events – 140.
Women’s singles
Venus Williams (United States) broke the record for the most main draw appearances at the US Open, with 2023 being her 24th main draw appearance
Iga Swiatek (Poland) extended her record for the most matches won in 2023 (56) with Aryna Sabalenka (50) and Jessica Pegula (44) in second and third place, respectively (including the United Cup and excluding the Billie Jean King Cup).
Sabalenka (Belarus), who lost to Gauff in the women’s final but is the new women’s number one, extended her record for the most time on court in Grand Slam events in 2023 -- 41 hours, 18 minutes.
She extended her record for the most aces in 2023 Grand Slam events – 144.
But she also extended her record for the most unforced errors of 2023 Grand Slam events – 696. Ouch.