Jack Draper bids to become just third British male finalist at US Open in Open Era

Only a very exclusive club of British male tennis players have reached the final of the US Open in the Open Era.

This is the feat 22-year-old current British male number one Jack Draper will aim to replicate this year as the Londoner prepares to take on world number one Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows.

We take a look back in time at the two Brits who made it all the way to the last two in the final Grand Slam of the tennis calendar in New York.

Greg Rusedski (1997)

Rocking up at Flushing Meadows in 1997 having failed to win a match at the tournament in four previous attempts, not much was expected of world number 20 Greg Rusedski.

In a summer blighted by the tragic passing of Princess Diana, the 23-year-old Rusedski was able to showcase the best tennis of his career as the British number one enjoyed a sensational run in New York,

Back in the UK all sports had been cancelled as the nation mourned the 'People's Princess', but Rusedski continued on at the US Open - reaching the semi-finals without dropping a set.

Things would get tougher for the 6ft 4ins lefty in the semis, with Rusedski edging a five-set thriller with Swede Jonas Bjorkman to become the first Brit in 20 years to reach a Grand Slam final.

It wasn't to be for Rusedksi in the end, with the Brit losing out to Australia's Pat Rafter in four sets in the first US Open final to be played at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Born in Montreal, Canada to a British mother and father of Polish and Ukrainian descent, Rusedski opted to represent the United Kingdom during his tennis career, and following his exploits at the US Open was awarded the BBC's prestigious Sports Personality of the Year award.

Still relatively early on in his career at the age of 23, the 1997 US Open would mark Rusedski's sole appearance in a Grand Slam final.

Andy Murray (2008 & 2012)

It would take 11 years for another British tennis player to reach the final of the US Open. His name was Andy Murray.

A US Open champion as a junior, Murray made a quick ascent in the professional ranks as a young player, reaching the top 10 of the ATP world rankings by the age of 20.

The Scotsman's major breakthrough in Grand Slam competition arrived in 2008, with Murray pulling off a first career win over Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals to set up a meeting with Roger Federer in the final.

Dunblane's most famous son was unable to cope with the class and experience of the Swiss icon, who swiftly dismantled him in straight sets.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Murray would return to compete in a second US Open final at the Arthur Ashe Stadium four years later in 2012.

Having lost four Grand Slam finals, two at the Australian Open, one at Wimbledon and one in New York, there were growing fears Murray would never be able to get over the line and claim an elusive first major success.

Such fears escalated when despite taking a two-set lead in the 2012 US Open final against Novak Djokovic, the Serbian fought back to make it two sets all going into a decider.

It was to be no hard luck story for Murray on this occasion, however, with the face of British tennis digging in to overcome Djokovic in five sets to become the first British male Grand Slam singles champion since Fred Perry in 1936.

James Wilson

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