TENNIS MASTERS CUP


The 'Tennis Masters Cup' is a tennis tournament played annually at the end of each year, involving the top eight players in the men's tennis world rankings.
Unlike all the other events on the men's tour, the Tennis Masters Cup is not a straightforward knock-out tournament. The eight players are divided into two groups of four, and play three round-robin matches each against the other three players in their group. From there, the two players with the best records in each group progress to the semi-finals, with the semi-final winners meeting in the final to determine the champion.
The event is actually the third evolution of a championship which began in 1970. It was originally known simply as 'The Masters' tournament, and was organised by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The Masters was a year-end showpiece event between the best players on the men's tour, but did not count for any world ranking points. In 1990, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) took over the running of the men's tour and replaced the Masters with the 'ATP Tour World Championship'. World ranking points were now at stake, with an undefeated champion earning the same number of points they would for winning one of the four Grand Slam events. The ITF, who continued to run the Grand Slam tournaments, created a rival year-end event known as the Grand Slam Cup, which was contested by the 16 players with the best records in Grand Slam competitions that year. In December 1999, the ATP and ITF agreed to discontinue the two separate events and create a new jointly-owned event called the 'Tennis Masters Cup'. As with the Masters and the ATP Tour World Championships, the Tennis Masters Cup is contested by eight players. However under the rules of the Tennis Masters Cup, the player who is ranked number eight in the ATP Champion's Race world rankings does not have a guaranteed spot. If a player who wins one of the year's Grand Slam events finishes the year ranked outside the top eight but still within the top 20, he can be included in the Tennis Masters Cup instead of the eight-ranked player. If two players outside the top eight win Grand Slam events, the higher placed player in the world rankings will take the final spot in the Tennis Masters Cup.
In 2009 the Masters will be renamed to 'ATP World Tour Finals' and will be staged at The O2 in London.
For many years, the doubles event was held as a separate tournament the week after the singles competition. But more recently they have been held together in the same week and venue. Like the singles competition, the doubles involves the eight most successful teams on the tour each year and starts with a group phase with each team playing three round-robin matches.
Formers World No.1 Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl hold the record for the most titles, each with 5.

Contents
Singles finals
Doubles Champions
Singles Titles Matrix
Honor Roll
Facts
See also
External links

Singles finals


'Tennis Masters Cup'
Year Venue Champion Runner-up Score in final
2006 Shanghai 'Roger Federer' James Blake 6-0, 6-3, 6-4
2005 Shanghai 'David Nalbandian Roger Federer 6-7(4), 6-7(11), 6-2, 6-1, 7-6(3)
2004 Houston 'Roger Federer Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 6-2
2003 Houston 'Roger Federer Andre Agassi 6-3, 6-0, 6-4
2002 Shanghai 'Lleyton Hewitt Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 7-5, 2-6, 2-6, 6-4
2001 Sydney 'Lleyton Hewitt Sebastien Grosjean 6-3, 6-3, 6-4
2000 Lisbon 'Gustavo Kuerten Andre Agassi 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
'ATP Tour World Championships'
Year Venue Champion Runner-up Score
1999 Hannover 'Pete Sampras Andre Agassi 6-1, 7-5, 6-4
1998 Hannover 'Àlex Corretja Carlos Moyà 3-6, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-5
1997 Hannover 'Pete Sampras Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
1996 Hannover 'Pete Sampras Boris Becker 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(4), 6-7(11), 6-4
1995 Frankfurt 'Boris Becker Michael Chang 7-6(3), 6-0, 7-6(5)
1994 Frankfurt 'Pete Sampras Boris Becker 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4
1993 Frankfurt 'Michael Stich Pete Sampras 7-6(3), 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-2
1992 Frankfurt 'Boris Becker Jim Courier 6-4, 6-3, 7-5
1991 Frankfurt 'Pete Sampras Jim Courier 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-4
1990 Frankfurt 'Andre Agassi Stefan Edberg 5-7, 7-6, 7-5, 6-2
'The Masters'
Year Venue Champion Runner-up Score
1989 New York 'Stefan Edberg Boris Becker 4-6, 7-6, 6-3, 6-1
1988 New York 'Boris Becker Ivan Lendl 5-7, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6
1987 New York 'Ivan Lendl Mats Wilander 6-2, 6-2, 6-3
1986 New York 'Ivan Lendl Boris Becker 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
1985 New York 'Ivan Lendl Boris Becker 6-2, 7-6, 6-3
1984 New York 'John McEnroe Ivan Lendl 7-5, 6-0, 6-4
1983 New York 'John McEnroe Ivan Lendl 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
1982 New York 'Ivan Lendl John McEnroe 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
1981 New York 'Ivan Lendl Vitas Gerulaitis 6-7, 2-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4
1980 New York 'Björn Borg Ivan Lendl 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
1979 New York 'Björn Borg Vitas Gerulaitis 6-2, 6-2
1978 New York 'John McEnroe Arthur Ashe 6-7, 6-3, 7-5
1977 New York 'Jimmy Connors Björn Borg 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
1976 Houston 'Manuel Orantes Wojtek Fibak 5-7, 6-2, 0-6, 7-6, 6-1
1975 Stockholm 'Ilie Năstase Björn Borg 6-2, 6-2, 6-1
1974 Melbourne 'Guillermo Vilas Ilie Năstase 7-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
1973 Boston 'Ilie Năstase Tom Okker 6-3, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
1972 Barcelona 'Ilie Năstase Stan Smith 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3
1971 Paris 'Ilie Năstase Stan Smith 5-7, 7-6, 6-3
1970 Tokyo 'Stan Smith Rod Laver 4-6, 6-3, 6-4

Doubles Champions


'Tennis Masters Cup'
Year Venue Champions
2006 Shanghai Jonas Björkman / Max Mirnyi
2005 Shanghai Michaël Llodra / Fabrice Santoro
2004 Houston Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan
2003 Houston Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan
2002 ''Doubles not held''
2001 Bangalore ''Doubles cancelled''
2000 Bangalore Donald Johnson / Piet Norval
'ATP Tour World Championships'
Year Venue Champions
1999 Hartford Sébastien Lareau / Alex O'Brien
1998 Hartford Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis
1997 Hartford Rick Leach / Jonathan Stark
1996 Hartford Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde
1995 Eindhoven Grant Connell / Patrick Galbraith
1994 Jakarta Jan Apell / Jonas Björkman
1993 Johannesburg Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis
1992 Johannesburg Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde
1991 Johannesburg John Fitzgerald / Anders Järryd
1990 Sanctuary Cove Guy Forget / Jakob Hlasek
'The Masters'
Year Venue Champions
1989 London Jim Grabb / Patrick McEnroe
1988 London Rick Leach / Jim Pugh
1987 London Miloslav MeÄíř / Tomáš Å míd
1986 London Stefan Edberg / Anders Järryd
1985 Stefan Edberg / Anders Järryd
1984 Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1983 Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1982 Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1981 Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1980 Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1979 Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1978 Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1977 Bob Hewitt / Frew McMillan
1976 Fred McNair / Sherwood Stewart
1975 Juan Gisbert / Manuel Orantes



Singles Titles Matrix


Player Country # Years
Pete Sampras 5 1999, 1997, 1996, 1994, 1991
Ivan Lendl 5 1987, 1986, 1985, 1982, 1981
Ilie Năstase 4 1975, 1973, 1972, 1971
Roger Federer 3 2006, 2004, 2003
Boris Becker 3 1995, 1992, 1988
John McEnroe 3 1984, 1983, 1978
Lleyton Hewitt 2 2002, 2001
Björn Borg 2 1980, 1979
David Nalbandian 1 2005
Gustavo Kuerten 1 2000
Àlex Corretja 1 1998
Michael Stich 1 1993
Andre Agassi 1 1990
Stefan Edberg 1 1989
Jimmy Connors 1 1977
Manuel Orantes 1 1976
Guillermo Vilas 1 1974
Stan Smith 1 1970

Honor Roll


'Tennis Masters Cup (since 2000):'

★ ''Updated up to November 18, 2006.''
Player Years
Qual.
Matches W-L W Rate Years
Comp
Best
Result
Andre Agassi5168-8.500 2000-01-02-03-05F (2000,2003)
James Blake153-2.600 2006F (2006)
Guillermo Coria381-7.125 2003-04-05RR (2003,2005)
Àlex Corretja131-2.333 2000RR (2000)
Albert Costa131-2.333 2002RR (2002)
Nikolay Davydenko274-3.571 2005-06SF (2005)
Roger Federer52422-2.917 2002-2006'W' (2003,2004,2006)
Juan Carlos Ferrero3126-6.500 2001-02-03F (2002)
Gastón Gaudio272-5.286 2004-05SF (2005)
Fernando González121-1.500 2005 (Alt.)RR (2005)
Sébastien Grosjean153-2.600 2001F (2001)
Tim Henman131-2.333 2004RR (2004)
Lleyton Hewitt41813-5.722 2000-01-02-04'W' (2001,2002)
Goran Ivanišević131-2.333 2001RR (2001)
Thomas Johansson110-1.000 2002 (Alt.)RR (2002)
Yevgeny Kafelnikov274-3.571 2000-01SF (2001)
Gustavo Kuerten284-4.500 2000-01'W' (2000)
Ivan LjubiÄić262-4.333 2005-06RR (2005)
Carlos Moyà3105-5.500 2002-03-04SF (2002)
Rafael Nadal142-2.500 2006SF (2006)
David Nalbandian3136-7.462 2003-05-06'W' (2005)
Magnus Norman130-3.000 2000RR (2000)
Jiří Novák131-2.333 2002RR (2002)
Mariano Puerta130-3.000 2005RR (2005)
Patrick Rafter130-3.000 2001RR (2001)
Tommy Robredo131-2.333 2006RR (2006)
Andy Roddick3116-5.545 2003-04-06SF (2003,2004)
Marat Safin3114-7.363 2000-02-04SF (2000,2004)
Pete Sampras142-2.500 2000SF (2000)
Rainer Schüttler142-2.500 2003SF (2003)

Facts



★ Players who won the tournament undefeated (since 1990):

★ #Michael Stich, Germany, 1993

★ #Lleyton Hewitt, Australia, 2001

★ #Roger Federer, Switzerland, 2003, 2004, 2006

★ Players who won back-to-back titles:

★ #Ilie Năstase, Romania, 1971-1973

★ #Björn Borg, Sweden, 1979-80

★ #Ivan Lendl (2), Czechoslovakia, 1981-1982; 1985-1987

★ #John McEnroe, United States, 1983-1984

★ #Pete Sampras, United States, 1996-1997

★ #Lleyton Hewitt, Australia, 2001-2002

★ #Roger Federer, Switzerland, 2003-2004

★ Most consecutive titles:
:1. Ivan Lendl, 3
:1. Ilie Nastase, 3

★ Most consecutive finals:
:1. Ivan Lendl, Czechoslovakia, 9 (1980-1988)
:2. Ilie Năstase, Romania, 5 (1971-1975)
:3. Roger Federer, Switzerland, 4 (2003-2006)
:4. Stan Smith, United States, 3 (1970-1972)
:4. Boris Becker, Germany, 3 (1994-1996)

See also



WTA Tour Championships

External links



Official Site

atptennis.com tournament profile

tenniscorner.net page on the Tennis Masters Cup

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