Sharapova, Kuznetsova and other US Open champions: we rank the best tennis players
Alexander Nasonov August 23, 2023, 00:45 UTC Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
We collect all the athletes since the year 2000 who won the last major of the season. Which should be higher?
At the end of August – beginning of September, the US Open will take place in New York (USA), which traditionally closes the main program of the season. Since the year 2000, 14 tennis players have become US Open winners. There are also Russians among them. The coveted trophy was won by Svetlana Kuznetsova and Maria Sharapova. And the Williams sisters won more than once. Which of them is really the strongest is up to you. You can explain your choice in the comments.
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Rating: the best US Open champions
Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Maria Sharapova (Russia) – 2006
The second and so far last Russian women’s title at the US Open. And Sharapova’s only trophy at the American Major. Throughout the tournament, the third-seeded Maria lost only one game, in the semifinals to Amelie Mauresmo. The score of that match is quite unusual: 6:0, 4:6, 6:0. And in the decisive match, the Russian woman defeated Justine Henin – 6:4, 6:4.
Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images
Serena Williams (United States) – 2002, 2008, 2012-2014
For the first time, Williams Jr. became the US Open champion in 1999, two weeks before her 18th birthday. He then defeated another young star, Martina Hingis, in the final. And in the 21st century, she has won five more titles. In 2002, Serena turned out to be stronger than her older sister Venus in decisive matches. And in other finals, she lost to Jelena Jankovic, Victoria Azarenka (twice) and Caroline Wozniacki. Furthermore, her most stubborn resistance came from Azarenka, who managed to take a set in two lost matches. But the rest of the rivals lost to Williams in two games.
Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) – 2004
The first Russian women’s title at the US Open! In addition, the citizenship of the winner was already known before the final. Kuznetsova turned out to be stronger than Elena Dementieva – 6:3, 7:5. Svetlana, the ninth seed, came through the grid with confidence overall, dropping just one set in the entire tournament. True, that local flop nearly halted her title campaign. In the semifinals, Kuznetsova won a difficult and stubborn victory over Lindsay Davenport – 1: 6, 6: 2, 6: 4.
Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Naomi Osaka (Japan) — 2018, 2020
Osaka, who became Japan’s first major winner in history, won her first TBSH of four at the US Open. In the 2018 finale, she stopped Serena Williams (6-2, 6-4), who was unable to become TBS’s strongest after the birth of her daughter. During the entire tournament, Naomi lost only one set – she in the 1/8 final with Arina Sobolenko. And in 2020, Osaka broke Victoria Azarenka’s resistance in the decisive match: 1:6, 6:3, 6:3. And it was the first decisive victory in the US Open women’s final since 1994, when Arancha Sánchez was stronger than Steffi Graf.
Photo: Getty Images
Venus Williams (United States) – 2000-2001
The eldest of the Williams sisters at the turn of the millennium won the home major twice in a row, and at a very young age, at 20 and 21, respectively. In 2000, the American she beat Lindsay Davenport in the final (6: 4, 7: 5). This was Venus’s second TBS title. She then became the second woman after Steffi Graf to win Wimbledon, the Olympic Games and the US Open in one season. A year later, Williams Sr. defeated her sister Serena in the deciding match (6:2, 6:4). During the entire tournament, the future winner did not drop a set.
Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Justine Henin (Belgium) – 2003, 2007
The 2003 final came out purely Belgian. Henin defeated Kim Clijsters in two sets: 7:5, 6:1. During the entire tournament, Justine gave up just one game. Admittedly, her task was made easier by the fact that both Williams sisters missed the US Open due to injuries. And in the decisive match in 2007, Henin confidently defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova – 6:1, 6:3. This time, the Belgian athlete did not give up a single game in seven matches.
Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Kim Clijsters (Belgium) – 2005, 2009-2010
In 2005, Clijsters easily won the first four matches, but then the difficulties began. In the quarterfinals, the Belgian scored a decided victory over Venus Williams. She then had an equally difficult match with Maria Sharapova-6: 2, 6: 7 (4: 7), 6: 3. But in the final, Kim beat Marie Pearce by a clear advantage: 6:3, 6:1. It was her first major title. Subsequently, Clijsters won the US Open two more times, and in a row. In 2009, she became the first TBS champion to win an unseeded tournament and receive a wild card. In the final, Kim, who returned to the tour after the birth of her son, defeated Caroline Wozniacki-7: 5, 6: 3. And a year later, in the decisive match, she did not leave any chance for Vera Zvonareva-6: 2, 6: 1.
Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images
Samantha Stosur (Australia) – 2011
The 2011 US Open brought a real sensation. The title went to Samantha Stosur -the Australian did not win anything else at TBSH, although she also has the Roland Garros final- 2010. In the final, Stosur, ninth seeded, confidently beat Serena Williams (28), who was playing In a protected rating, – 6:2:6:3.
Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Flavia Pennetta (Italy) – 2015
Pennetta’s title in 2015 was perhaps even more sensational than Samantha Stosur’s upset in 2011. Her best result in other TSH is the quarterfinals at the Australian Open – 2014. At the US Open – 2015, Pennetta , seeded number 26, defeated Simona Halep (2) in the semifinals – 6:1, 6:3. And in the final also in two sets (7:6 (7:4), 6:2) she beat unseeded compatriot Roberta Vinci, despite the fact that at the previous stage she knocked out Serena Williams herself, having won a strong- desired victory!
Photo: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images
Angelique Kerber (Germany) – 2016
Kerber’s second TSH title of three. In the final, the German, who had the second seed, defeated Karolina Pliskova (10) – 6:3, 4:6, 6:4. She and her every other match in the tournament she won in straight sets. Angélica became the first tennis player since 1997 to win both hardcore majors in the same year. Then the Australian Open and the US Open were held by Martina Hingis.
Photo: Elsa/Getty Images
Emma Raducanou (United Kingdom) – 2021
Another sensation on our list. Radukan, then 18 years old, entered the main draw via qualifying. And he won the title without dropping a set in 10 matches (including qualifying). She became the first qualifier to win a major title. In that tournament, the recognized favorites performed without success, with the Briton playing only twice with the top seeds. Emma defeated Belinda Bencic (11) in the semifinals and Maria Sakkari (17) in the final. And in the decisive match, she beat unseeded Leyla Fernández-6:4, 6:3.
Photo: Elsa/Getty Images
Sloane Stephens (United States) – 2017
Stevens’ victory at the 2017 US Open was a huge surprise. The American, who had not competed for a long time due to injury, got into the net according to the protected rating. Although he was lucky with the net, he never played the top seeds. Although in the semifinals, Sloane defeated Venus Williams in three sets (9). Well, in the final she defeated Madison Keys (15)-6: 3, 6: 0. And so far, this is Stevens’ only title on TBSh.
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Bianca Andreescu (Canada) – 2019
19-year-old Andreescu’s title at the time was a big surprise, though he was seeded, and not that low (15). The Canadian tennis player faced a top 10 seeded opponent only once during the tournament. In the final, he defeated Serena Williams (8)-6:3, 7:5. At the same time, he never went past the third round in all other TBSH. By the way, Bianca became the first woman to win the US Open in the year of her debut in the main draw of this tournament. Two years later, this achievement was repeated by Emma Radukanu.
Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Iga Swiatek (Poland) — 2022
The current first racket in the world performs much more successfully at Roland Garros, where she already has three titles, but already has a trophy at the US Open. During the tournament, Swiatek, who had the top seed, picked up two strong-willed wins. In the round of 16, she beat Jule Niemeyer (2:6, 6:4, 6:0), and in the semifinals she beat sixth seed Arina Sobolenko (3:6, 6:1, 6:4). . In the final, the Pole beat Ons Jaber (5) – 6:2, 7:6 (7:5).
