Mats Wilander defeated the three-time defending champion Ivan Lendl in a rematch of the previous year's final, 6–4, 4–6, 6–3, 5–7, 6–4 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1988 US Open.[1] It was his first US Open singles title and seventh and last major singles title overall. It was the longest US Open men's singles final in history, lasting 4 hours and 54 minutes.[2] With the win, Wilander gained the world No. 1 ranking for the first time, replacing Lendl.
This tournament marked the first major main draw appearances for future 14-time major champion Pete Sampras and future four-time major champion Jim Courier.[3]
Seeds
The seeded players are listed below. Mats Wilander is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.