1968 US Open – Men's singles

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.

Men's singles
1968 US Open
Final
ChampionUnited States Arthur Ashe
Runner-upNetherlands Tom Okker
Score14–12, 5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3
Details
Draw96
Seeds16
Events
Singlesmenwomenboysgirls
Doublesmenwomenmixedboysgirls
WC Singlesmenwomenquad
WC Doublesmenwomenquad
Legendsmenwomenmixed
← 1967 ·US Open· 1969 →

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.

  1. Rod Laver (fourth round)
  2. Tony Roche (fourth round)
  3. Ken Rosewall (semifinals)
  4. John Newcombe (quarterfinals)
  5. Arthur Ashe (champion)
  6. Dennis Ralston (quarterfinals)
  7. Clark Graebner (semifinals)
  8. Tom Okker (finals)
  9. n/a
  10. Andrés Gimeno (first round)
  11. Fred Stolle (second round)
  12. Charlie Pasarell (third round)
  13. Richard Pancho Gonzales (quarterfinals)
  14. Roy Emerson (fourth round)
  15. Marty Riessen (second round)
  16. Cliff Drysdale (quarterfinals)

Draw

Key

Final eight

QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
                     
16 Cliff Drysdale10374
5 Arthur Ashe8696
5 Arthur Ashe4876
7 Clark Graebner6652
4 John Newcombe7914
7 Clark Graebner51166
5 Arthur Ashe145636
8 Tom Okker127363
6 Dennis Ralston223
3 Ken Rosewall666
3 Ken Rosewall6481
8 Tom Okker8666
8 Tom Okker146106
13 Pancho Gonzales16383

Section 1

First roundSecond roundThird roundRound four
1 R Laver64666
T Koch86444
1 R Laver666
P Segura211
I Crookenden341
P Segura666
1 R Laver64611
16 C Drysdale46366
16 C Drysdale6866
L Ayala41003
16 C Drysdale666
A Stone321
L Gerrard472
A Stone696

Section 2

First roundSecond roundThird roundRound four
5 A Ashe666
F Parker322
5 A Ashe666
P Hutchins341
P Hutchins66426
H Rahim34662
5 A Ashe696
14 R Emerson472
14 R Emerson1066
S Giammalva Sr.803
14 R Emerson666
J Borowiak340
N Weld6442
J Borowiak3666

Section 3

First roundSecond roundThird roundRound four
4 J Newcombe666
A Quay1334 J Newcombe666
W Jacques12604 R Krishnan442
R Krishnan142664 J Newcombe666
EV Seixas866 C McKinley322
T Gorman643 EV Seixas433
W Tym36661 C McKinley666
C McKinley682364 J Newcombe546106
15 M Riessen11466 T Ulrich76484
Z Franulović963415 M Riessen6232
C Montgomery433 T Ulrich3666
T Ulrich666 T Ulrich666
R Goldman1272 R McKinley442
R McKinley1496 R McKinley3666
J Fillol Sr.666 J Fillol Sr.6342
C Bovett410

Section 4

First roundSecond roundThird roundRound four
7 C Graebner6176
P Lall36547 C Graebner6614
J McManus668 J McManus1412
S Stewart3467 C Graebner666
E Zuleta113 R Taylor344
T Mozur666 T Mozur534
F Tutvin311 R Taylor766
R Taylor6667 C Graebner766
LL P Cranis224 E Scott503
D O'Bryant666 D O'Bryant182660
P Gerken6366 P Gerken166486
W Harris2630 P Gerken264
P Cornejo6612 E Scott686
T Leonard4410 P Cornejo332
G Taylor9104 E Scott666
E Scott11126

Section 5

First roundSecond roundThird roundRound four
N Pilić6636
B Seewagen3464 N Pilić666
T Carrero43667 D Dell142
D Dell66229 N Pilić6946
B Knight14712 C Pasarell4764
T Edlefsen669 T Edlefsen172
K Coombes95112 C Pasarell696
12 C Pasarell1176 N Pilić627113
F Robbins614196 D Ralston265136
J Loyo-Mayo81621 J Loyo-Mayo53666
A Neely63373 J Sharpe76431
J Sharpe36656 J Loyo-Mayo112651
S Pasarell13856 D Ralston96376
R Russell6667 R Russell141
C Steele III3046 D Ralston666
6 D Ralston666

Section 6

First roundSecond roundThird roundRound four
B MacKay6653
J Osborne8476 J Osborne959
R Holmberg666 R Holmberg11711
H Hose234 R Holmberg6117
R Lutz666 R Lutz495
P Burwash113 R Lutz68267
R Moore4666 R Moore86645
10 A Gimeno6121 R Holmberg3366
M Lara96483 K Rosewall6628
P Sullivan7166 M Lara2776
R Perry6055 D Stockton6552
D Stockton4677 M Lara131
A Palafox64663 K Rosewall666
E van Dillen4624 A Palafox010
J Parker3343 K Rosewall666
3 K Rosewall666

Section 7

First roundSecond roundThird roundRound four
J Brown627611
I Buding36589
J Brown46661
P Curtis63486
P Curtis66468
11 F Stolle82636
P Curtis6632
8 T Okker8266
P Barthès1469
P Fishbach1227
P Barthès2115
8 T Okker6137
L Schloss104
8 T Okker666

Section 8

First roundSecond roundThird roundRound four
P Guzmán112
M Anderson666
M Anderson444
13 RP Gonzales666
C Stubs222
13 RP Gonzales666
13 RP Gonzales866
2 T Roche642
D Bleckingerw/o
A Olmedo
A Olmedo264
2 T Roche686
S Smith68644
2 T Roche310366

References

Preceded by Grand Slam men's singles Succeeded by