US Open: A look at the last 5 players to win their maiden Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows

#4 Andy Murray (2012)

Andy Murray poses with his first Grand Slam trophy at 2012 US Open

Murray arrived at the US Open after a title run in Brisbane, a semifinal exit against Djokovic at the Australian Open, a defeat against Federer in the Dubai final and a loss against Djokovic in the Miami title match before being thwarted in a fourth straight Grand Slam final by Federer at Wimbledon.

In his eighth appearance at the US Open, the third-seeded Murray opened his campaign with successive straight-set victories over Aleksandr Bogomolov Junior and Ivan Dodig before needing three tie-break sets to see off Spanish left-hander Feliciano Lopez in a four-set encounter.

Murray beat Raonic in straight sets in the fourth round to reach the quarter-finals where he overcame Marin Cilic in four sets. In the last-four, Murray fought back from a set deficit to oust Federer's conqueror Tomas Berdych to reach his second US Open title match (in 2008 he lost to Federer) where Djokovic awaited.

In a gruelling near five-hour battle, the Scot took a two-set lead only for the defending champion to take the next two sets and force a decider. An injured Djokovic, however, ceased to be competitive in the fifth set as Murray sprinted to the finish line to land the biggest title of his career.

In the process, Murray became the first British men's singles player since Fred Perry in 1936 to win a Grand Slam title.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Sudeshna Banerjee