NEW YORK: Twenty-four former champions — from Rod Laver to Roger Federer and Virginia Wade to Maria Sharapova — launched opening night at the US Open on Monday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the professional era.

In 1968, Arthur Ashe became the first African-American man to win a Grand Slam title when he triumphed at the first US Open at Forest Hills while Wade raised the women’s trophy and pocketed the tournament’s first prize money as champion.

Also gracing the Arthur Ashe Stadium court were the likes of John Newcombe and John McEnroe on the men’s side, and Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova among women who triumphed after professionals were allowed to play the Grand Slam events four decades ago.

McEnroe, the tempestuous local hero who won four Opens, and four-time defending champion Federer drew the loudest roars from the crowd. A festive programme full of music from gospel singers to period band Earth, Wind and Fire livened up the “Showtime” opening and the band serenaded the champions with their hit, “Shining Star.”

A montage of great moments played on the jumbo television screen, along with excerpts from an interview with Ashe, who talked about the political upheaval of the times, from US race riots in the cities, to Vietnam War protest and the assassinations of Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Bobby Kennedy.

“You didn’t get five minutes to breathe,” said Ashe, who died in 1993 at age 49 from AIDS after contracting HIV during blood transfusions for a heart surgery.

“This was the first US Open. It was a very good time for something positive to happen in the sports world.”

Ashe himself did not benefit monetarily from his victory since he was still an amateur. Wade won $6,000.

The new era led to explosive growth in tennis. The US championships purse in 1968 was $10,000. This year the purse is $20.6 million with men’s and women’s winners each receiving $1.5 million.

Some lustre was lost on Monday night by the absence of crowd favourites Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf.

The champions in attendance, however, were aglow over the occasion, entering the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on a red carpet with cameras flashing and reporters in wait.