The 1940 U.S. National Championships (now known as the US Open) was a tennis tournament that took place on the outdoor grass courts at the West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills in New York City, United States. The tournament ran from September 2 until September 9, 1940. It was the 60th staging of the U.S. National Championships and the second Grand Slam tennis event of the year because of the cancellation of

Wimbledon Wimbledon most often refers to: * Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London * Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships Wimbledon may also refer to: Places London * ...

and the French Championships due to World War II. Don McNeill capped an outstanding season with his win over Bobby Riggs in the finals of the men's singles. Earlier in the year McNeill won the U.S. Men's Intercollegiate Singles Championships for Kenyon College, defeating Joe Hunt of Navy. A dramatic moment occurred in this 1940 National Championships during the men's singles quarter-final match between 1943 national champion, Joe Hunt and third seeded Frank Kovacs. Kovacs had the reputation as a court clown, and early in the third set, Kovacs' antics with the gallery compelled Hunt to sit down on the baseline and refuse to play until the umpire stopped the disturbance. Hunt ignored several of Kovacs' serves, allowing them to harmlessly fly by. In short order, Kovacs also sat on his baseline and Forest Hills experienced what was called "tennis' first sit-down strike." About five minutes went by with the crowd alternately cheering and jeering. When order was restored, Hunt went on to win the match in straight sets.

Finals

Men's singles

Donald McNeill defeated

Bobby Riggs Robert Larimore Riggs (February 25, 1918 – October 25, 1995) was an American tennis champion who was the World No. 1 amateur in 1939 and World No. 1 professional in 1946 and 1947. He played his first professional tennis match on December ...

4–6, 6–8, 6–3, 6–3, 7–5

Women's singles

Alice Marble Alice Marble (September 28, 1913 – December 13, 1990) was an American tennis player who won 18 Grand Slam championships between 1936 and 1940: five in singles, six in women's doubles, and seven in mixed doubles. She was ranked world No. 1 in 193 ...

defeated

Helen Jacobs Helen Hull Jacobs (August 6, 1908 – June 2, 1997) was an American tennis player who won nine Grand Slam titles. In 1936 she was ranked No. 1 in singles by A. Wallis Myers. Early life Jacobs was born in Globe, Arizona, and was Jewish. Her pare ...

6–2, 6–3

Men's doubles

Jack Kramer John Albert Kramer (August 1, 1921 – September 12, 2009) was an American tennis player of the 1940s and 1950s. He won three Grand Slam tournaments (the U.S. Championships in 1946 and 1947, Wimbledon in 1947). He led the U.S. Davis Cup tennis ...

/ Ted Schroeder defeated Gardnar Mulloy /

Henry Prusoff Henry J. Prusoff (nicknamed "the Russian Bear"; December 10, 1912 – May 1943) was a top-ranked American tennis player in both singles and doubles in the 1930s. Prusoff was ranked No. 3 in doubles during the 1930s, and No. 8 in singles in th ...

6–4, 8–6, 9–7

Women's doubles

Sarah Palfrey Cooke Sarah Hammond Palfrey Danzig (née Palfrey; September 18, 1912 – February 27, 1996) was an American tennis player whose adult amateur career spanned 19 years, from June 1926 until September 1945. She won two singles, nine women's doubles, and ...

defeated

Dorothy Bundy Dorothy "Dodo" May Sutton Bundy Cheney (September 1, 1916 – November 23, 2014) was an American tennis player from her youth into her 90s. In 1938, Bundy was the first American to win the women's singles title at the Australian National Champi ...

/ Marjorie Gladman Van Ryn 6–4, 6–4

Mixed doubles

defeated

9–7, 6–1 Collins, p. 482

References

External links

Official US Open website
{{US Open championships U.S. National Championships U.S. National Championships (tennis) by year U.S. National Championships U.S. National Championships U.S. National Championships