American men have won 18 titles at the Australian Open over the years…
The last American man to lift the trophy was Andre Agassi, who defeated Rainer Schuttler in the 2003 final to clinch his fourth title.
Before him, the likes of Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, and Arthur Ashe emerged victorious Down Under.
Which American man and woman do you think will go furthest at the Australian Open?
But who was the first-ever American to win the Australian Open title?
Fred Alexander was the first American to win the Australian Open
The first Australian Open, then known as the Australasian Championships, was held in 1905.
Australia’s Rodney Heath won the title before New Zealand’s Anthony Wilding won the second edition of the tournament.
It was another Australian who won the 1907 title, as Horace Rice lifted the trophy.
However, in 1908, it was time for someone from another continent to make their mark.
America’s Fred Alexander shone in Sydney, becoming the first player from his country to win the title.
Fred Alexander at the 1908 Australian Open
- 1908 Australian Open 1R [WIN] vs Marsh (Australia), 6-3, 6-1, 6-2
- 1908 Australian Open 2R [WIN] vs Henry Gibbes (Australia), 6-2, 6-1, 6-1
- 1908 Australian Open SF [WIN] vs Harry Parker (New Zealand), 6-3, 8-6, 1-6, 6-0
- 1908 Australian Open F [WIN] vs Alfred Dunlop (Australia), 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-3
Alexander never returned to defend his title, but enjoyed plenty of success elsewhere.
The American won six Grand Slam doubles titles (5 US Open, 1 Australian Open), losing a further five finals.
He also won six US Indoor Championships between 1906 and 1917.
Unfortunately for Alexander, he failed in his bid to add another Grand Slam singles title to his collection, retiring in 1920 with just the one victory to his name.
He will, however, remain in the history books, having been the first American to win the Australian Open.
Alexander was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1961, eight years before his passing, aged 88.
Which nation has won the most Australian Open titles?
117 years ago, Alexander set America on their way, winning their first title Down Under.
Players from the nation have since added another 17 titles to the tally, but where do the United States stack up compared to other countries?
| Rank | Country | Australian Open titles | Last title |
| 1 | Australia | 50 | 1976 – Mark Edmondson |
| 2 | United States | 18 | 2003 – Andre Agassi |
| 3 | Serbia | 10 | 2023 – Novak Djokovic |
| 4 | Switzerland | 7 | 2018 – Roger Federer |
| 5 | Sweden | 6 | 2002 – Thomas Johansson |
| 6 | United Kingdom | 5 | 1934 – Fred Perry |
| 7 | Czechia | 3 | 1998 – Petr Korda |
| T-8 | Argentina | 2 | 1979 – Guillermo Vilas |
| T-8 | Germany | 2 | 1996 – Boris Becker |
| T-8 | Italy | 2 | 2025 – Jannik Sinner |
| T-8 | New Zealand | 2 | 1909 – Anthony Wilding |
| T-8 | Russia | 2 | 2005 – Marat Safin |
| T-8 | Spain | 2 | 2022 – Rafael Nadal |
| T-14 | France | 1 | 1928 – Jean Borotra |
| T-14 | South Africa | 1 | 1981 – Johan Kriek |
The United States sit second behind Australia, who have won 50 titles.
Neither nation are fancied to produce a winner for the 2026 tournament, although Alex de Minaur (Australia), Taylor Fritz (USA), and Ben Shelton (USA) could spring a surprise.
The chances are that the winner will come from one of three countries: Italy, Spain, or Serbia.
Italy’s Jannik Sinner is the two-time defending champion and has proven himself to be a class above in Melbourne over recent years.
Who will win the 2026 Australian Open?
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz has yet to find his best tennis Down Under, but returning as the world number one, he will be determined to finally complete his Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic shouldn’t be ignored either, having won a record 10 titles at the event.
Only time will tell who will emerge victorious at the 2026 Australian Open, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
The 2026 Australian Open is scheduled to begin on Sunday, January 18.
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