On this day in 1987: Lendl completes US Open hat-trick

Sport360 staff 10:35 14/09/2016
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  • Ivan Lendl.

    Facing off for an 18th time, Ivan Lendl beat his arch-rival Mats Wilander 6-7 (0), 6-0, 7-6 (4), 6-4 to capture a third consecutive US Open title.

    The battle that lasted four hours and 47 minutes was the longest grand slam final in recorded history, at the time. Lendl saved 14 of 18 break points and broke Wilander eight times.

    In a brutal clash that pushed both to their physical limits, Lendl fired 69 winners against 53 unforced errors compared to a 35-40 ratio from Wilander.

    It was Lendl’s sixth grand slam triumph overall, and second of the year, having captured the French Open earlier that summer.

    Wilander avenged his loss the following year, beating Lendl in the final to win the Open.

    Other memorable events to happen on this day

    1868: Tom Morris, 17, registers the first hole-in-one in the Open when he aces the 166-yard eighth hole at Prestwick. He went on to beat his father, Old Tom, by three strokes and became the youngest Open winner.

    1968: Jimmy Ellis defeats Floyd Patterson by a controversial 15-round decision to defend his WBA heavyweight title.

    2013: Zimbabwe claim their first cricket Test win since 2001, over a team other than Bangladesh, by upsetting Pakistan in Harare.

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