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Carlos Alcaraz was the last man standing at the US Open, beating Casper Ruud in four sets in the final to create history. However, he had to do it the hard way - needing five sets in three straight rounds to reach the title match and save a match point along the way.
Alcaraz didn't have things easy against Ruud, either. Despite the exertions in his three previous rounds, the Spaniard drew first blood by breaking in the third game to take the opener.
Ruud came roaring back into the contest - conceding only two games - to restore parity. Following an early exchange of breaks in the third, Alcaraz saved two set points before playing a near-perfect tiebreak to take an all-important two-sets-to-one lead.
Riding his momentum, Alcaraz broke decisively midway through the fourth set before converting his second championship point to create history. With his triumph, the 19-year-old became the first teenager to become the World No. 1 and the second youngest US Open champion in the Open Era.
Alcaraz's victory marked only the eighth instance - seventh in the Open Era - of a player winning the singles title in New York after recovering from match point down in the tournament. On that note, here's a look at the last five such instances:
Spoiler Alert: None of them did so in the final.
#5 Pete Sampras - 1996 (saved MP against Alex Corretja in QF)
Pete Sampras is widely regarded as one of the best players in the sport's history. The 14-time Major winner is the youngest player - and one of only two teenagers - to win the US Open in the Open Era.
After winning his third Flushing Meadows title in 1995, Sampras endured a lean year in Majors in 1996 - not winning a Grand Slam title entering the US Open. The death of his coach and good friend Tom Gullikson earlier in the year hardly helped matters.
Nevertheless, Sampras dug deep - recovering from two-sets-to-one and match point down against Alex Corretja in the quarterfinals - before triumphing 9-7 in a fifth-set tiebreak.
The match wasn't without controversy, though, as Sampras - afflicted by a stomach bug - vomited during the fifth set and was given a warning by the umpire for delaying the match.
Sampras went on to beat Michael Chang in straight sets in the final to defend the US Open for the only time in his career. He would return to win a fifth title six years later - which also proved to be the final tournament of his illustrious career.
#4 Andy Roddick - 2003 (saved MP against David Nalbandian in SF)
Andy Roddick came of age at the 2003 US Open. With defending champion Pete Sampras retiring from the sport, all eyes were on Roddick to prove his worth, and the then 21-year-old would not disappoint.
Having made the last eight in New York in his two previous appearances, Roddick made the semifinals for the first time. However, the American seemed to meet his match against David Nalbandian - finding himself two sets down.
With the third set going into a tiebreak, the Argentine - who beat a certain Roger Federer in the fourth round - arrived at match point. Roddick fired down his 27th ace of the match to bail himself out. The American then rolled through the next two sets - conceding only four games - to reach his first Major final.
Roddick saw off Alcaraz's current coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, in straight sets to win what would be his only Major title.
#3 Novak Djokovic - 2011 (saved MP against Roger Federer in SF)
Novak Djokovic had a banner year in 2011 - embarking on a 41-0 start - sweeping titles at the Australian Open and four Masters 1000 tournaments.
After losing to Roger Federer in the Roland Garros semifinals, the Serb - who won Wimbledon that year - met his old rival for a place in the US Open final. A year ago, Djokovic saved two match points at the same stage, but Federer was keen to avoid an encore - taking a two-set lead.
Although the Serb won the next two sets, Federer broke for 5-3 in the decider and arrived at 40-15, with two match points on serve. One swing of his racquet away from his seventh US Open final in eight years, Federer blinked at the most inopportune moment as Djokovic sealed an unlikely victory, reeling off the last four games.
A distraught Federer was at a loss for words, trying to explain how lightning struck twice:
"It's awkward having to explain this loss because I feel like I should be doing the other press conference."
Meanwhile, Djokovic went on to beat Rafael Nadal in four sets to win his first of three US Open titles.
#2 Stan Wawrinka - 2016 (saved MP against Daniel Evans in 3R)
Stan Wawrinka won his third Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2016, but the 'other' Swiss hardly had a stroll down the park.
Stan 'the Man' was on the brink of defeat in the third round against Daniel Evans - finding himself match point down in the fourth-set tiebreak. After squandering two mini-breaks, Evans arrived at match point when Wawrinka missed a forehand at 5-5.
Wawrinka served out wide and came to the net to meet Evans' slice return with a cross-court forehand. The Brit had a look at a backhand down the line, but Wawrinka covered the angle to hit a volleyed winner into the open court. After saving a set point at 7-6, Evans rued missing a pair of overheads as Wawrinka forced a decider.
He said after the win that he had a tendency to put significant pressure on himself as he didn't want to lose, adding that he had to find a solution and that he got "a little bit lucky."
“When I play a player like Evans, I put too much pressure on myself. I don't want to lose. I want to win. I want to keep advancing in the tournament. So I'm not relaxed enough to play my best tennis, and that day was playing really well. Evans was playing really well. ... I had to stay positive. I had to find solution. I did. I save(d) match point. You get a little bit lucky when you save match point, but that's tennis,” Wawrinka said.
Bouyed after pulling off the Houdini act, Wawrinka dropped only two more games to reach the fourth round. The Swiss then twice recovered from a set down - against Kei Nishikori in the semifinals and Novak Djokovic in the final - to reign supreme in New York.
#1 Carlos Alcaraz - 2022 US Open winner (saved MP against Jannik Sinner in QF)
Carlos Alcaraz won his first Major title at the US Open last fortnight, but suffice to say - the teenager had to dig deep - really deep.
After beating 2014 winner Marin Cilic in five sets in the fourth round, Alcaraz set up a blockbuster quarterfinal clash with Jannik Sinner. The two players would produce an instant classic.
After taking the opener, Alcaraz let slip five set points to take a two-set lead as Sinner restored parity. The Spaniard was once again in the ascendancy in the third but failed to serve out the set as Sinner took an all-important two-sets-to-one lead.
Sinner arrived at match point on his serve at 5-4 in the fourth set but blinked as Alcaraz forced a decider. The Italian then squandered a break as Alcaraz reeled off four straight games to provide the latest finish (2:49 am) for a match in New York.
At five hours and 15 minutes, it was the second-longest match in US Open history. Alcaraz would survive another five-setter - against Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals - before beating Ruud to become the first US Open winner in six years from match point down.
Alcaraz said about his match point save:
"Honestly, I still don't know how I did it. You have to believe in yourself. I believed in my game. It was really difficult to close out the match. I tried to stay calm, but it is difficult in the moment," he said.
The Spaniard will now look to close a historic year as the World No. 1 following his Flushing Meadows triumph.
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