Updated:
May 16, 2023 10:50 am
In the world of modern sports, tennis has been recognized globally, even in the world’s Olympics. However, Tennis trickles down to other international and national tennis tournaments. Among these tournaments include the French Open, Wimbledon, ATP Masters, and others.
The Tennis sporting world has ATP 1000 tournaments among its most revered events. Frankly, ATP Masters is the most competitive tennis tournament series, as Grand Slam tournament winners barely make it to the finals. This is why many tennis fans prefer ATP Masters to any other tennis tournament.
For those who may not understand ATP tournaments or are trying to find a thrilling tennis match to watch, this article is a must-read as the fundamentals of ATP will be served. So, get ready to grab the ATP Italian Open Tennis 2023 tickets.
Brief History of ATP Masters
The ATP Masters 1000 is a set of nine yearly tennis competitions that occur in various cities across the globe. These contests are a constituent of the ATP Tour, which manages men’s pro tennis.
In 1990, the inaugural ATP Masters 1000 competition was held in Stuttgart, Germany, named as the ATP Championship Series. It aimed to offer a forum for the most prominent tennis players worldwide to participate in a series of elite-level contests. Later, in 2000, the sequence of competitions was enlarged to nine, and the name was altered to the ATP Masters Series.
The ATP Masters 1000 comprises nine competitions. These contests are considered the most esteemed and momentous tournaments on the ATP Tour, with the exception of the four Grand Slam tournaments.
Over the years, the ATP Masters 1000 tournament has witnessed some of the greatest moments in tennis history, including unforgettable matches and victories. In addition, players such as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer have dominated the tournament and witnessed numerous records and milestones.
The ATP Masters 1000 is still important to the ATP Tour as it gives players the opportunity to score up to 1,000 points for rankings and prize money. It is also a chance for tennis fans to see the world’s best tennis players compete on the most prestigious tennis courts.
ATP Masters 1000 Tournaments
As of present, nine tournaments form the ATP Masters 1000. From inception till around 2008, two of these tournaments were held indoors. However, this changed in 2009. The result of this change has seen five of the tournaments held on outdoor hard courts; three played on clay courts, and just one played on an indoor hard court. The grass is the only court surface not used in any of the tournaments. These tournaments are:
- Canadian Open: Currently under the brand name “National Bank Open presented by Rogers”, for sponsorship reasons, the Canadian Masters is held yearly and alternated between Montreal and Toronto. It is played on a hard court, and the 2022 Singles Champion was Pablo Carreno Busta.
- Italian Open: Often called the “Italian International Championships, the Italian Open is held in Rome and is considered one of the most important clay tournaments in the world. Novak Djokovic won the last edition of the tournament for the Singles Category.
- Indian Wells Masters: It is not uncommon to see this tournament go by the name “BNP Paribas Open,” and it is often held in Indian Wells, California. Owned by Larry Ellison, Oracle’s co-founder and executive chairman, the tournament boasts of a reputation of being the most attended apart from the four Grand Slams. It is played on hardcourt and has gone on to earn the alias of the “Fifth Grand Slam”.
- Miami Open: For sponsorship reasons, the Miami Open is also branded as the “Miami Open presented by Itau”. The Miami Masters is held annually at the Miami Gardens in Florida and played on a hard court. Its 2022 Singles Champion was Carlos Alcaraz.
- Monte-Carlo Masters: This tournament is held yearly between the April/May period in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin in France and not Monaco (despite its name). The Monte-Carlo Masters is played on a clay court, and in 2022, Stefanos Tsitsipas won the Singles Championship.
- Madrid Open: Also known as the Mutua Madrid Open, since its sponsored by Mutual Madrilena, this tournament was formerly played on an indoor hard court. It is held in Madrid in early May.
- Cincinnati Masters: Regarded as the oldest USA tennis tournament played in its origin city, the Cincinnati Masters is played on a hardcourt in Mason, Ohio, close to Cincinnati. Borna Coric is its immediate past Singles Champion.
- Shanghai Masters: Despite not being held since 2019, the Shanghai Masters is usually played at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai. It is played on an outdoor hard court.
- Paris Masters: The Paris Masters is the only ATP Masters 1000 tournament played indoors. It is held at the AccorHotels Arena in Bercy.
Top Players in ATP Masters 1000
The current record for most Masters 1000 titles is held by Novak Djokovic. Following closely is Rafael Nadal. And Roger Federer comes next. The table below shows the top 8.
Player Name Number of Titles
Novak Djokovic 38
Rafael Nadal 36
Roger Federer 28
André Agassi 17
Andy Murray 14
Pete Sampras 11
Thomas Muster 8
Michael Chang 7
The “Career Golden Masters” title is held only by Djokovic. That is, he has won all active Masters 1000 titles over the course of his career.
ATP Masters 2023
The ATP Masters 1000 for this year commenced on March 8 in Indian Wells, California. This tournament is expected to be in play till 19 March 2023. The Miami Open is set to commence on 22 March, while the Monte-Carlo will have her clay court graced by the stars on April 10. Madrid will be the next stop towards the end of the month, and on May 10, it will be Italy’s turn. Come August 7, all roads lead to Montreal, Canada, and it is only after this tournament Cincinnati will receive her share of tennis spectators on August 14. The ATP Masters 1000 Tour will close in Paris, with the tournament expected to kick off on the 30th day of October.
Note, however, that the scheduling above is subject to change by the relevant authorities. So, always keep yourself abreast of the tournament website for the latest information.
