Tennis Masters Cup

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Tennis Masters Cup
ATP Tour
Location	Shanghai  China (2005-2008)
Venue	Qi Zhong Stadium
Category	Masters Cup
Surface	Hard / Indoors
Draw	8M / 4D
Prize Money	US$4,450,000
Website	masters-cup.com

The Tennis Masters Cup is a tennis tournament played at the end of each year, involving the top eight players in the men's tennis world rankings.

Unlike most of 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 semifinals, with the 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 may be included in the Tennis Masters Cup instead of the eighth-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 the ATP World Tour Finals and it will be staged at The O₂ in London from 2009 to 2012.

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.

Former World No.1s Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl hold the record for the most titles, each with 5.

Singles finals

Tennis Masters Cup
Year	Venue	Champion	Runner-up	Score in final
2007	Shanghai	Roger Federer	David Ferrer	6-2, 6-3, 6-2
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	Sébastien 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
2007	Shanghai	Mark Knowles / Daniel Nestor
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 Mečíř / Tomáš Šmíd
1986	London	Stefan Edberg / Anders Järryd
1985	New York	Stefan Edberg / Anders Järryd
1984	New York	Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1983	New York	Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1982	New York	Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1981	New York	Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1980	New York	Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1979	New York	Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1978	New York	Peter Fleming / John McEnroe
1977	New York	Bob Hewitt / Frew McMillan
1976	Houston	Fred McNair / Sherwood Stewart
1975	Stockholm	Juan Gisbert / Manuel Orantes

Singles Titles Matrix

Player	Country	#	Years
Pete Sampras	United States	5	1999, 1997, 1996, 1994, 1991
Ivan Lendl	Czechoslovakia	5	1987, 1986, 1985, 1982, 1981
Roger Federer	Switzerland	4	2007, 2006, 2004, 2003
Ilie Năstase	Romania	4	1975, 1973, 1972, 1971
Boris Becker	Germany	3	1995, 1992, 1988
John McEnroe	United States	3	1984, 1983, 1978
Lleyton Hewitt	Australia	2	2002, 2001
Björn Borg	Sweden	2	1980, 1979
David Nalbandian	Argentina	1	2005
Gustavo Kuerten	Brazil	1	2000
Àlex Corretja	Spain	1	1998
Michael Stich	Germany	1	1993
Andre Agassi	United States	1	1990
Stefan Edberg	Sweden	1	1989
Jimmy Connors	United States	1	1977
Manuel Orantes	Spain	1	1976
Guillermo Vilas	Argentina	1	1974
Stan Smith	United States	1	1970

Honour Roll

Tennis Masters Cup (since 2000 - present):

Player	Years participated.	Matches	W-L	W Rate	Years Comp	Best Result
Andre Agassi	5	16	8-8	.500	2000-01-02-03-05	F (2000, 2003)
James Blake	1	5	3-2	.600	2006	F (2006)
Guillermo Coria	3	8	1-7	.125	2003-04-05	RR (2003, 2005)
Àlex Corretja	1	3	1-2	.333	2000	RR (2000)
Albert Costa	1	3	1-2	.333	2002	RR (2002)
Nikolay Davydenko	3	10	5-5	.500	2005-06-07	SF (2005)
Novak Đoković	1	3	0-3	.000	2007	RR (2007)
Roger Federer	6	29	26-3	.896	2002-03-04-05-06-07	W (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007)
David Ferrer	1	5	4-1	.800	2007	F (2007)
Juan Carlos Ferrero	3	12	6-6	.500	2001-02-03	F (2002)
Richard Gasquet	1	3	1-2	.333	2007	RR (2007)
Gastón Gaudio	2	7	2-5	.286	2004-05	SF (2005)
Fernando González	2	5	2-3	.400	2005 (alt.)-07	RR (2005, 2007)
Sébastien Grosjean	1	5	3-2	.600	2001	F (2001)
Tim Henman	1	3	1-2	.333	2004	RR (2004)
Lleyton Hewitt	4	18	13-5	.722	2000-01-02-04	W (2001, 2002)
Goran Ivanišević	1	3	1-2	.333	2001	RR (2001)
Thomas Johansson	1	1	0-1	.000	2002 (alt.)	RR (2002)
Yevgeny Kafelnikov	2	7	4-3	.571	2000-01	SF (2001)
Gustavo Kuerten	2	8	4-4	.500	2000-01	W (2000)
Ivan Ljubičić	2	6	2-4	.333	2005-06	RR (2005)
Carlos Moyà	3	10	5-5	.500	2002-03-04	SF (2002)
Rafael Nadal	2	8	4-4	.500	2006-07	SF (2006, 2007)
David Nalbandian	3	13	6-7	.462	2003-05-06	W (2005)
Magnus Norman	1	3	0-3	.000	2000	RR (2000)
Jiří Novák	1	3	1-2	.333	2002	RR (2002)
Mariano Puerta	1	3	0-3	.000	2005	RR (2005)
Patrick Rafter	1	3	0-3	.000	2001	RR (2001)
Tommy Robredo	1	3	1-2	.333	2006	RR (2006)
Andy Roddick	4	15	8-7	.533	2003-04-06-07	SF (2003, 2004, 2007)
Marat Safin	3	11	4-7	.363	2000-02-04	SF (2000, 2004)
Pete Sampras	1	4	2-2	.500	2000	SF (2000)
Rainer Schüttler	1	4	2-2	.500	2003	SF (2003)

Timeline

Facts

• Players who won the tournament undefeated (since 1990):
  1. Michael Stich, Germany, 1993
  2. Lleyton Hewitt, Australia, 2001
  3. Roger Federer, Switzerland, 2003, 2004, 2006
• Players who won back-to-back titles:
  1. Ilie Năstase, Romania, 1971-1973
  2. Björn Borg, Sweden, 1979-80
  3. Ivan Lendl (2), Czechoslovakia, 1981-1982; 1985-1987
  4. John McEnroe, United States, 1983-1984
  5. Pete Sampras, United States, 1996-1997
  6. Lleyton Hewitt, Australia, 2001-2002
  7. Roger Federer (2), Switzerland, 2003-2004; 2006-2007
• 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)

2. Roger Federer, Switzerland, 5 (2003-2007)

4. Stan Smith, United States, 3 (1970-1972)

4. Boris Becker, Germany, 3 (1994-1996)