1979 US Open – Men's singles

Contributors to Wikimedia projects

Article Images

John McEnroe defeated Vitas Gerulaitis in the final, 7–5, 6–3, 6–3 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1979 US Open. It was his first major singles title.

Men's singles

1979 US Open

Final

Champion

John McEnroe

Runner-up

Vitas Gerulaitis

Score

7–5, 6–3, 6–3

Details

Draw

128 (14 Q )

Seeds

Events

Singles	men	women		boys	girls
Doubles	men	women	mixed	boys	girls
WC Singles	men	women	quad
WC Doubles	men	women	quad
Legends	men	women	mixed

← 1978 ·

US Open

· 1980 →

Jimmy Connors was the defending champion, but was defeated in the semifinals by McEnroe. Connors' loss ended a record streak of five consecutive US Open finals (a record since broken by Ivan Lendl).

During the second round, Ilie Năstase was defaulted from his match against John McEnroe. The umpire had docked Năstase a point in the third set and then a game in the fourth for arguing and stalling. A near riot followed as the crowd disagreed with the umpire's decision, by throwing beer cans and cups on court. The match was eventually restarted with the umpire being replaced before McEnroe came out the winner.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] McEnroe did not have to play in the third round (a walkover against John Lloyd) and only had to play three games in the quarterfinals (retirement by Eddie Dibbs).

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

Björn Borg (quarterfinalist)
Jimmy Connors (semifinalist)
John McEnroe (champion)
Vitas Gerulaitis (finalist)
Roscoe Tanner (semifinalist)
Guillermo Vilas (fourth round)
Harold Solomon (fourth round)
Víctor Pecci Sr. (third round)
Eddie Dibbs (quarterfinalist)
José Luis Clerc (fourth round)
Brian Gottfried (fourth round)
Wojtek Fibak (second round)
Gene Mayer (third round)
Tim Gullikson (fourth round)
Adriano Panatta (first round)
John Alexander (second round)

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

Quarterfinals						Semifinals							Final

1	Björn Borg	2	6	2	6²

5	Roscoe Tanner	6	4	6	7⁷
						5	Roscoe Tanner	6	6	6⁵	3	3

						4	Vitas Gerulaitis	3	2	7⁷	6	6
4	Vitas Gerulaitis	5	6	6	6

	Johan Kriek	7	3	4	3
													4	Vitas Gerulaitis	5	3	3

													3	John McEnroe	7	6	6
9	Eddie Dibbs	1^r

3	John McEnroe	2
						3	John McEnroe	6	6	7

						2	Jimmy Connors	3	3	5
	Pat DuPré	2	1	1

2	Jimmy Connors	6	6	6

First round							Second round						Third round					Fourth round

1	Borg	6	6	6
	Mitchell	1	1	2			1	Borg	6	6	6
	Cox	6	3	7	2	1	Q	Carter	1	1	1
Q	Carter	0	6	5	6	6							1	Borg	6	6	6
	Fleming	7	6	0	6									Fillol Sr.	0	3	2
	Okker	6	4	6	3			Fleming	1	7	2	2
	Bedel	6	1	6	2			Fillol Sr.	6	5	6	6
	Fillol Sr.	4	6	7	6													1	Borg	6	1	7	7
	Rennert	4	3	4															Stockton	4	6	6	5
Q	Foxworth	6	6	6			Q	Foxworth	3	6	3	6
	Ycaza	1	2	0				Stockton	6	4	6	7
	Stockton	6	6	6										Stockton	7	6	6
	Richardson	3	6	6	1	6								Richardson	6	3	3
Q	Siegler	6	3	1	6	3		Richardson	7	6	7
	Curren	6	7	7				Curren	5	4	5
15	Panatta	3	5	6

First round							Second round						Third round						Fourth round

14	Gullikson	6	3	6	6
	Teltscher	4	6	4	4		14	Gullikson	6	6	7
Q	Garcia	6	4	5				Pattison	3	2	6
	Pattison	7	6	7									14	Gullikson	3	6	6	6
	Mottram	4	7	6	7									Mottram	6	3	4	2
Q	Van't Hof	6	5	4	6			Mottram	6	7	6
	Schneider	6	7	4	3	1		Kodeš	3	6	2
	Kodeš	3	5	6	6	6													14	Gullikson	3	4	5
	Drewett	3	2	3															5	Tanner	6	6	7
	James	6	6	6				James	3	7	4	6
	Saviano	6	4	7	0	4		Saviano	6	5	6	7
	Teacher	1	6	6	6	4r								Saviano	4	4	6	3
	Van Patten	4	1	0									5	Tanner	6	6	3	6
	Lendl	6	6	6				Lendl	3	2	1
	Marks	4	2	0			5	Tanner	6	6	6
5	Tanner	6	6	6

First round							Second round						Third round						Fourth round

4	Gerulaitis	6	6	7
	Edmondson	3	2	5			4	Gerulaitis	6	6	6
	Taygan	7	6	6				Taygan	2	3	3
Q	Leonard	6	4	3									4	Gerulaitis	7	7	6
	Martin	5	1	6	7	4								Smith	6	6	3
	Simpson	7	6	1	5	6		Simpson	2	1	3
	Portes	2	3	4				Smith	6	6	6
	Smith	6	6	6															4	Gerulaitis	7	6	6
	Fisher	6	3	2	4														10	Clerc	6	2	2
Q	Trogolo	1	6	6	6		Q	Trogolo	6	2	6	6
Q	Norbäck	7	6	6	7		Q	Norbäck	4	6	2	2
	Kleege	6	7	1	6								Q	Trogolo	6	1	1	1
	Purcell	5	6	6	6								10	Clerc	4	6	6	6
	Moretton	7	2	4	3			Purcell	2	6	4
Q	Nichols	1	0	4			10	Clerc	6	7	6
10	Clerc	6	6	6

First round							Second round							Third round					Fourth round

12	Fibak	7	7	6
	Carmichael	6	5	2			12	Fibak	4	4	6
	Noah	6	6	4	7			Noah	6	6	7
Q	Cramer	3	0	6	6										Noah	7	6	6
	Dominguez	0	1	6											Walts	6	3	2
	Krulevitz	6	6	7				Krulevitz	3	6	6	0	2
	Lewis	3	2	1				Walts	6	3	4	6	6
	Walts	6	6	6																Noah	3	6	6	6	4
	Krishnan	6	6	6																Kriek	6	7	4	1	6
	Dent	3	0	3				Krishnan	5	2	3
	Kriek	6	6	4	0	6		Kriek	7	6	6
	Molina	0	4	6	6	3									Kriek	6	6	6
	Gómez	3	3	6	6	6								8	Pecci Sr.	3	2	0
	Lapidus	6	6	3	4	2		Gómez	2	2	4
	Kohlberg	6	4	7	3	4	8	Pecci Sr.	6	6	6
8	Pecci Sr.	3	6	5	6	6

First round							Second round						Third round							Fourth round

6	Vilas	6	6	7
	Parun	1	2	6			6	Vilas	6	6	6
	Lutz	6	6	1	r			Benavides	1	1	0
	Benavides	1	7	2									6	Vilas	2	7	6	6	6
	Bailey	6	5	6	3	6								Van Dillen	6	5	7	2	1
	Bengtson	4	7	4	6	4		Bailey	3	4	2
	Dowdeswell	7	4	6	3	4		Van Dillen	6	6	6
	Van Dillen	6	6	2	6	6														6	Vilas	3	7	5	1
	Mitton	6	6	6																9	Dibbs	6	5	7	6
	Amaya	2	1	4				Mitton	6	6	6
	Crawford	6	4	3	3			Stewart	1	3	2
	Stewart	4	6	6	6									Mitton	4	2	3
Q	Molin	0	7	0	4								9	Dibbs	6	6	6
	Malin	6	6	6	6			Malin	1	6	5	2
	Wilkison	6	6	5	2	3	9	Dibbs	6	1	7	6
9	Dibbs	4	2	7	6	6

First round						Second round							Third round						Fourth round

16	Alexander	6	7	7
	Schoenfield	1	5	5		16	Alexander	3	4	6	6	1
	Pfister	6	6	6			Pfister	6	6	3	4	6
	Docherty	4	3	3										Pfister	6	4	3	4
	Rocavert	6	6	7										Gorman	4	6	6	6
	Warwick	0	1	6			Rocavert	1	2	2
	Gorman	6	7	6			Gorman	6	6	6
	Owens	2	5	4																Gorman	2	4	1
Q	Pasarell	1	3	7	1														3	McEnroe	6	6	6
	Lloyd	6	6	6	6		Lloyd	5	6	7	7	7
	Barbosa	4	0	4			McNamee	7	7	5	6	6
	McNamee	6	6	6										Lloyd	w/o
	Năstase	7	7										3	McEnroe
Q	Palin	5	5	r			Năstase	4	6	3	2
	Složil	1	2	4		3	McEnroe	6	4	6	6
3	McEnroe	6	6	6

First round							Second round						Third round					Fourth round

7	Solomon	6	6	6
	Damiani	4	0	3			7	Solomon	6	6	6
	Austin	2	7	7	1	6		Austin	3	0	4
Q	Mayotte	6	6	5	6	3							7	Solomon	6	6	7
	Moore	4												Moore	3	0	5
	Borowiak	3	r					Moore	7	5
	Hřebec	6	7	7				Hřebec	6	0	r
	Álvarez	1	5	5														7	Solomon	6	3	2	6	4
	Du Pré	7	7	0	6														Du Pré	3	6	6	4	6
	Ramírez	6	5	6	2			Du Pré	6	6	1	6
	Scanlon	3	3	6	3	3		Šmid	2	2	6	3
	Šmid	6	6	2	6	6								Du Pré	7	6	6
	Gullikson	6	6	6									13	Mayer	5	2	3
	Prinsloo	3	4	2				Gullikson	4	5	1
	Shore	1	3	0			13	Mayer	6	7	6
13	Mayer	6	6	6

First round							Second round							Third round							Fourth round

11	Gottfried	6	6	6
	Winitsky	4	2	4			11	Gottfried	6	5	7	5	6
	Gardiner	5	2	3				Riessen	3	7	5	7	4
	Riessen	7	6	6										11	Gottfried	6	4	7	6	6
	Sadri	6	7	6											Amaya	7	6	5	1	4
	Fromm	1	5	3				Sadri	4	1	4
	Amaya	7	6	6				Amaya	6	6	6
	Buehning	5	1	2																	11	Gottfried	2	6	4	5
	Fagel	6	6	0	3	3															2	Connors	6	1	6	7
	Manson	4	4	6	6	6		Manson	2	6	6	6
	Case	7	6	2	5	2		González	6	2	2	3
	González	5	3	6	7	6									Manson	3	0	3
	Meyer	3	4	1										2	Connors	6	6	6
	Amritraj	6	6	6				Amritraj	6	5	r
	Amritraj	2	4	4			2	Connors	7	7
2	Connors	6	6	6

^ "Down Memory Lane: The day John McEnroe and Ilie Nastase caused a racket at US Open". Belfasttelegraph.
^ Lorge, Barry (August 31, 1979). "McEnroe Triumphs After Near-Riot". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
^ "Top 5 Ridiculous U.S. Open Moments". Miami.cbslocal.com. September 2, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
^ "US Open – Ten quirky and controversial moments". Espn.co.uk. August 30, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2019.