Australian Open: American Success "On This Day"

With the 2021 Australian Open pushed back from its normal window on the pro tennis calendar, USTA.com looks back at past American victories on the dates they happened. Throughout the week, we will feature American legends past and present, like Serena and Venus Williams, Andre Agassi, Jennifer Capriati and Arthur Ashe.

This page will focus on singles moments. Stay tuned for more Australian Open success stories throughout the week, including American honors in wheelchair, junior and doubles competition. The 2021 Australian Open main draw begins on Feb. 8.

Jan. 21, 1998 - Serena vs. Venus, Part  I

Serena and Venus met for the first time in their WTA careers on this date, in Round 2 of the 1998 Australian Open. With both unseeded, it was Venus who claimed victory in this historic encounter, 7-6, 6-1. The win helped propel her to the quarterfinals, where she fell in three sets to No. 2 seed Lindsay Davenport. Venus' Melbourne run backed up her debut run to the 1997 US Open final three months prior, when she burst onto the pro tennis scene as a 17-year-old. The elder Williams sister reached the Australian Open final twice, in 2003 and 2017, falling to sister Serena both times. Serena is a seven-time AO women's singles champion, her joint-most single titles at any Grand Slam, along with her seven at Wimbledon.

Join the conversation on the USTA's Twitter post marking the occasion.

Jan. 25, 2003 - The Serena Slam

The younger Williams sister completed the "Serena Slam" at the 2003 Australian Open, bringing all four women's singles Grand Slam titles under her possession at once. In another sister-sister matchup, Serena defeated Venus, 7-6, 3-6, 6-4, for the trophy. It was Serena's first AO singles title, and the fifth of her now 23 Grand Slam singles crowns. She would complete the "Serena Slam" again from 2014-15, when she again won all four majors in a row, starting with the 2014 US Open.

Remember the Serena Slam? Join the conversation on Twitter.

Jan. 26, 1992 - Courier avenges Edberg defeat to win Down Under

Four months after finishing runner-up to Stefan Edberg at the US Open, Jim Courier got his revenge to claim a second Grand Slam. Courier managed to win just six games in a 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 defeat to Edberg in the summer of 1991, the second-seeded Courier won a four-set championship match against No. 1 seed Edberg Down Under after reaching the final without the loss of a set. With his victory, the then-21-year-old Courier became the first American man since Brian Teacher in 1980 to win the Australian Open, and marked the moment by diving with his coach Brad Stine into the famed Yarra River.

Jan. 26, 1997 - Sampras' second in Oz

World No. 1 Pete Sampras backed up his 1994 AO title with his second Melbourne success in '97. On the heels of winning the 1996 US Open, the American won a pair of five-setters against Dominik Hrbaty (Round of 16) and Albert Costa before taking out No. 5 seed Thomas Muster in straights to reach the championship match. He left no doubt against an unseeded Carlos Moya in the final, taking out the Spaniard, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3, for the ninth of his eventual 14 Grand Slam singles titles.

Jan. 26, 2002 - Capriati survives to repeat against Hingis

After a near-perfect year at the Slams in 2001—with singles titles in Melbourne and Paris, followed by semifinals in London and New York—world No. 1 Jennifer Capriati faced Martina Hingis at the 2002 Aussie Open final in a rematch of their '01 title bout. Capriati won the first meeting in straight sets to claim her first major title, but round two was the one to remember. Trailing by a set and 4-0, the American fought back to win the second stanza, 9-7 in a tiebreak, saving three match points in the process. In the deciding set, Capriati won the final five games to clam her third major singles title with a classic 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 victory.

Jan. 26, 2003 - Andre's Eighth: Agassi wins last Slam

As the then-oldest year-end No. 2 at 32 years and 8 months to finish 2002, Andre Agassi continued to rewrite the record books at the start of 2003. The American had a dominant run to his final Grand Slam singles title, losing just one set in seven matches to capture his fourth title Down Under. He was particularly ruthless in his final three matches, losing just 19 games across nine sets against No. 12 seed Sebastian Grosjean, unseeded Wayne Ferreira and No. 31 seed Rainer Schuttler. 

At the site of his final major win, Agassi finished off one of the more remarkable winning streaks of his career. With seven wins at the 2003 Australian Open, Agassi extended his unbeaten run in Melbourne to 21 matches: he won the 2000 and 2001 crowns Down Under before withdrawing from the 2002 event due to injury. 

What are your favorite American memories at the AO? Join the conversation on Twitter.

Jan. 27, 1970 - Third time's the charm for Arthur Ashe

After having lost the 1966 and 1967 finals, 1970 proved lucky for Arthur Ashe in Australia. The American captured his second Grand Slam title — following his victory at the 1968 US Open — by beating Australian Dick Crealy in straight sets. Ashe had been beaten in his two previous Australian finals by Roy Emerson, part of the latter's string of five consecutive titles from 1963-67. Ashe lost just two sets over the course of the tournament, coming from a set down to win his quarterfinal match in four sets, and overcoming compatriot Dennis Ralston in an abridged four-set semifinal that ended in the latter's retirement.

The win made Ashe the first non-Australian to win the title since 1959, and he is, to date, the only Black man to win the singles title at the tournament.

Jan. 27, 2001 - A thunderous return for Capriati

Years after announcing herself as a teeenaged prodigy, and overcoming personal struggles, Jennifer Capriati was finally crowned a Grand Slam champion at the 2001 Australian Open. Having fallen outside the Top 100 at the end of 1998, Capriati spent the turn of the century rebuilding her career, and finally took the next step Down Under in 2001, when she was on the cusp of returning to the WTA's elite. Her run to a maiden Slam title including a thrilling quarterfinal comeback against Monica Seles, where she rallied from a set and a break down to win, and victories over world No. 2 Davenport and world No. Martina Hingis in the final two rounds to take the title.

At the time, she was the lowest seed to win the Australian Open, and became the first player since Tracy Austin in 1979 to defeat the world's top two-ranked players in straight sets at a major. Capriati re-entered the Top 10 as a result of her victory, putting her back inside the world's elite for the first time since 1993. 

Jan. 27, 2007 - Serena victorious against all odds

Ranked world No. 81 entering the 2007 Australian Open after a season that was plagued by injury, Serena Williams made a statement. In what has since been called one of the finest tournaments of her career, the all-time great overcame adversity at every turn, and the game's best, to again capture a Grand Slam.

Two points from defeat in the third round against Nadia Petrova, Williams rallied for her first win over a Top 10 player since defeating Lindsay Davenport in the 2005 Australian Open final. Again two points from going home in the quarterfinals against Israel's Shahar Peer, Williams again came from a set down for victory, and ultimately, set up an anticipated final against top seed Maria Sharapova. As was so often the story in their head-to-head, Williams dominated the Russian: a 6-1, 6-2 victory earned her a first title at any tournament since winning the 2005 Australian Open 24 months earlier. 

Williams became the first player since Chris O'Neil in 1978 to win the title while unseeded, and claimed her third Australian Open and eighth Grand Slam singles title overall. 

Jan. 28, 2001 - Agassi goes back-to-back

No. 5 seed Andre Agassi won the third of his four eventual AO men's singles title by defeating Arnaud Clement of France, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, in the '01 final. Having won the 2000 Aussie Open title one year prior, the victory marked the first and only time Agassi successfully defended a Grand Slam title in his career. Melbourne proved to be the most successful major stop in the American's career, with the Las Vegas native lifting four of his eight total Slam titles Down Under. Even more impressive is that Agassi competed at the Australian Open just nine times in his career, wrapping up with two semifinal finishes and one quarterfinal result in addition to his four title runs.

Jan. 29, 1995 - Agassi def. Sampras in all-American final

Agassi's 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-4 victory gave him his first AO title and the third of his eventual eight Grand Slams. It was an all-American semifinal slate in 1995, with the No. 2-seeded Agassi defeating Aaron Krickstein and No. 1 Sampras defeating No.6 Michael Chang in the final four. 

Jan. 29, 2000 - Davenport wins her third Grand Slam in three years

Facing world No. 1 and three-time defending Aussie Open champ Martina Hingis in the final, Linday Davenport completed a flawless run to the title with a 6-1, 7-5 victory. The American did not drop a set on the fortnight, going a perfect 14-for-14.

Jan. 29, 2005 - Serena defeats world No. 1 Davenport in another all-American final

After saving three match points against Maria Sharapova in the semifinals, Serena Williams was again in trouble against her countrywoman in the ttile match. But after dropping a bagel opening set, Serena returned the favor in the decider as she registered a 0-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory for her second AO women's singles crown.

Jan. 29, 2011 - David Wagner wins first AO Quad singles title

David Wagner won the first of his three AO quad singles titles in 2011. He also has four quad doubles titles, with compatriot Nick Taylor. Learn more about the Quad success of this duo in USTA.com's Australian Open Rewind.

Jan. 30, 1993 - Seles' three-peat

Monica Seles defeated Steffi Graf, 4–6, 6–3, 6–2, to win her third consecutive Australian Open  title.

Jan. 30, 1994 - Sampras tops Martin for first title Down Under

In this all-American affair, Pete Sampras beat Todd Martin, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4, to win his first AO title.

Jan. 30, 2000 - Agassi wins, sets milestone

Andre Agassi upset defending champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, to win his second title in Melbourne. By reaching the championship match, Agassi became the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to make four consecutive Grand Slam finals.

Jan. 31, 2003 - Courier repeats

Jim Courier completes a successful defense of his AO title, defeating Stefan Edberg, 6–2, 6–1, 2–6, 7–5, in the final.

Feb. 1, 2020 - Kenin's major breakthrough

Sofia Kenin rallies from a set down to defeat Garbiñe Muguruza, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, and claim her first Grand Slam title.

Pictured above: Venus and Serena Williams after the 2017 Australian Open women's singles final.