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Day 14 Favorite Tennis Moments
To help us pass some time this offseason, Midwest Sports is revealing 25 of our favorite moments in tennis history throughout the month of November.
Day 14: September 8, 1968: American amateur Arthur Ashe wins the 1968 US Open, becoming the first African-American male to capture a Grand Slam event.
Arthur Ashe vs. Tom Okker
American amateur Arthur Ashe defeated Tom Okker of the Netherlands in a match that went five sets, 14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Ashe became the first African-American male to capture a Grand Slam Event. The 1968 US Open was the first Grand Slam in the United States where pros were eligible to compete. Ashe's victory as an amateur was a surprise to many. Due to Ashe's amateur status, the 25-year-old Army lieutenant was not eligible to receive the first place prize money of $14,000. Instead, Ashe was "awarded" with a $20 per diem for 14 days.
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