1968 US Open – Men's singles

Men's singles
Men's singles
1968 US Open
Final
Champion	Arthur Ashe
Runner-up	Tom Okker
Score	14–12, 5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
Details
Draw	96
Seeds	16
Events

Arthur Ashe defeated Tom Okker in the final, 14–12, 5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1968 U.S. Open.^[1] It was his first major singles title, and Ashe became the first African-American man to win a major. This was the first edition of the tournament open to professional players, a period in tennis history known as the Open Era.

John Newcombe was the defending champion, but lost in the quarterfinals to Clark Graebner.

Seeds

The seeded players are listed below. Arthur Ashe is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.

Rod Laver (fourth round)
Tony Roche (fourth round)
Ken Rosewall (semifinals)
John Newcombe (quarterfinals)
Arthur Ashe (champion)
Dennis Ralston (quarterfinals)
Clark Graebner (semifinals)
Tom Okker (finals)
n/a
Andrés Gimeno (first round)
Fred Stolle (second round)
Charlie Pasarell (third round)
Richard Pancho Gonzales (quarterfinals)
Roy Emerson (fourth round)
Marty Riessen (second round)
Cliff Drysdale (quarterfinals)

Draw

Key

Q = Qualifier
WC = Wild card
LL = Lucky loser
r = Retired

Final eight

Quarterfinals						Semifinals						Final

16	Cliff Drysdale	10	3	7	4

5	Arthur Ashe	8	6	9	6
						5	Arthur Ashe	4	8	7	6

						7	Clark Graebner	6	6	5	2
4	John Newcombe	7	9	1	4

7	Clark Graebner	5	11	6	6
												5	Arthur Ashe	14	5	6	3	6

												8	Tom Okker	12	7	3	6	3
6	Dennis Ralston	2	2	3

3	Ken Rosewall	6	6	6
						3	Ken Rosewall	6	4	8	1

						8	Tom Okker	8	6	6	6
8	Tom Okker	14	6	10	6

13	Pancho Gonzales	16	3	8	3

Section 1

First round	Second round							Third round					Round four

	1	R Laver	6	4	6	6	6
		T Koch	8	6	4	4	4
								1	R Laver	6	6	6
									P Segura	2	1	1
		I Crookenden	3	4	1
		P Segura	6	6	6
													1	R Laver	6	4	6	1	1
													16	C Drysdale	4	6	3	6	6
	16	C Drysdale	6	8	6	6
		L Ayala	4	10	0	3
								16	C Drysdale	6	6	6
									A Stone	3	2	1
		L Gerrard	4	7	2
		A Stone	6	9	6

Section 2

First round	Second round							Third round					Round four

	5	A Ashe	6	6	6
		F Parker	3	2	2
								5	A Ashe	6	6	6
									P Hutchins	3	4	1
		P Hutchins	6	6	4	2	6
		H Rahim	3	4	6	6	2
													5	A Ashe	6	9	6
													14	R Emerson	4	7	2
	14	R Emerson	10	6	6
		S Giammalva Sr.	8	0	3
								14	R Emerson	6	6	6
									J Borowiak	3	4	0
		N Weld	6	4	4	2
		J Borowiak	3	6	6	6

Section 3

First round							Second round						Third round					Round four

4	J Newcombe	6	6	6
	A Quay	1	3	3			4	J Newcombe	6	6	6
	W Jacques	12	6	0	4			R Krishnan	4	4	2
	R Krishnan	14	2	6	6								4	J Newcombe	6	6	6
	EV Seixas	8	6	6										C McKinley	3	2	2
	T Gorman	6	4	3				EV Seixas	4	3	3
	W Tym	3	6	6	6	1		C McKinley	6	6	6
	C McKinley	6	8	2	3	6												4	J Newcombe	5	4	6	10	6
15	M Riessen	11	4	6	6														T Ulrich	7	6	4	8	4
	Z Franulović	9	6	3	4		15	M Riessen	6	2	3	2
	C Montgomery	4	3	3				T Ulrich	3	6	6	6
	T Ulrich	6	6	6										T Ulrich	6	6	6
	R Goldman	12	7	2										R McKinley	4	4	2
	R McKinley	14	9	6				R McKinley	3	6	6	6
	J Fillol Sr.	6	6	6				J Fillol Sr.	6	3	4	2
	C Bovett	4	1	0

Section 4

First round						Second round							Third round					Round four

7	C Graebner	6	1	7	6
	P Lall	3	6	5	4	7	C Graebner	6	6	14
	J McManus	6	6	8			J McManus	1	4	12
	S Stewart	3	4	6									7	C Graebner	6	6	6
	E Zuleta	1	1	3										R Taylor	3	4	4
	T Mozur	6	6	6			T Mozur	5	3	4
	F Tutvin	3	1	1			R Taylor	7	6	6
	R Taylor	6	6	6														7	C Graebner	7	6	6
LL	P Cranis	2	2	4															E Scott	5	0	3
	D O'Bryant	6	6	6			D O'Bryant	18	2	6	6	0
	P Gerken	6	3	6	6		P Gerken	16	6	4	8	6
	W Harris	2	6	3	0									P Gerken	2	6	4
	P Cornejo	6	6	12										E Scott	6	8	6
	T Leonard	4	4	10			P Cornejo	3	3	2
	G Taylor	9	10	4			E Scott	6	6	6
	E Scott	11	12	6

Section 5

First round							Second round							Third round							Round four

	N Pilić	6	6	3	6
	B Seewagen	3	4	6	4			N Pilić	6	6	6
	T Carrero	4	3	6	6	7		D Dell	1	4	2
	D Dell	6	6	2	2	9									N Pilić	6	9	4	6
	B Knight	1	4	7										12	C Pasarell	4	7	6	4
	T Edlefsen	6	6	9				T Edlefsen	1	7	2
	K Coombes	9	5	1			12	C Pasarell	6	9	6
12	C Pasarell	11	7	6																		N Pilić	6	2	7	11	3
	F Robbins	6	14	19																	6	D Ralston	2	6	5	13	6
	J Loyo-Mayo	8	16	21				J Loyo-Mayo	5	3	6	6	6
	A Neely	6	3	3	7	3		J Sharpe	7	6	4	3	1
	J Sharpe	3	6	6	5	6									J Loyo-Mayo	11	2	6	5	1
	S Pasarell	1	3	8	5									6	D Ralston	9	6	3	7	6
	R Russell	6	6	6	7			R Russell	1	4	1
	C Steele III	3	0	4			6	D Ralston	6	6	6
6	D Ralston	6	6	6

Section 6

First round						Second round							Third round					Round four

	B MacKay	6	6	5	3
	J Osborne	8	4	7	6		J Osborne	9	5	9
	R Holmberg	6	6	6			R Holmberg	11	7	11
	H Hose	2	3	4										R Holmberg	6	11	7
	R Lutz	6	6	6										R Lutz	4	9	5
	P Burwash	1	1	3			R Lutz	6	8	2	6	7
	R Moore	4	6	6	6		R Moore	8	6	6	4	5
10	A Gimeno	6	1	2	1														R Holmberg	3	3	6	6
	M Lara	9	6	4	8													3	K Rosewall	6	6	2	8
	P Sullivan	7	1	6	6		M Lara	2	7	7	6
	R Perry	6	0	5	5		D Stockton	6	5	5	2
	D Stockton	4	6	7	7									M Lara	1	3	1
	A Palafox	6	4	6	6								3	K Rosewall	6	6	6
	E van Dillen	4	6	2	4		A Palafox	0	1	0
	J Parker	3	3	4		3	K Rosewall	6	6	6
3	K Rosewall	6	6	6

Section 7

First round	Second round							Third round							Round four

		J Brown	6	2	7	6	11
		I Buding	3	6	5	8	9
									J Brown	4	6	6	6	1
									P Curtis	6	3	4	8	6
		P Curtis	6	6	4	6	8
	11	F Stolle	8	2	6	3	6
																P Curtis	6	6	3	2
															8	T Okker	8	2	6	6
		P Barthès	14	6	9
		P Fishbach	12	2	7
									P Barthès	2	11	5
								8	T Okker	6	13	7
		L Schloss	1	0	4
	8	T Okker	6	6	6

Section 8

First round	Second round							Third round					Round four

		P Guzmán	1	1	2
		M Anderson	6	6	6
									M Anderson	4	4	4
								13	RP Gonzales	6	6	6
		C Stubs	2	2	2
	13	RP Gonzales	6	6	6
													13	RP Gonzales	8	6	6
													2	T Roche	6	4	2
		D Bleckinger	w/o
		A Olmedo
									A Olmedo	2	6	4
								2	T Roche	6	8	6
		S Smith	6	8	6	4	4
	2	T Roche	3	10	3	6	6

Effects of Ashe's Victory

Arthur Ashe's victory took the public by storm. Telegrams from fans, politicians, and celebrities began to flood in. One celebrity who celebrated the importance of Ashe's victory was Jackie Robinson. He stated that this victory would "bridge the gap between races and inspire black people the world over and also affect the decency of all Americans".^[2] Ashe's victory was a sign that Blacks could excel anywhere, even in places flooded with racial prejudice. This is proven with the steady fight for Black rights in years to come.

References

^ "Ashe Wins U.S. Open Singles Title", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 10, 1968, p27
^ Hall, Eric Allen (2014). Arthur Ashe: tennis and justice in the Civil Rights era. Baltimore, Md: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-1-4214-1395-2.

External links

Preceded by 1968 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles	Grand Slam men's singles	Succeeded by 1969 Australian Open – Men's singles

[1] "Ashe Wins U.S. Open Singles Title", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 10, 1968, p27

[2] Hall, Eric Allen (2014). Arthur Ashe: tennis and justice in the Civil Rights era. Baltimore, Md: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-1-4214-1395-2.

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