The final Masters 1000 event of the year has sprung up a number of surprise winners in recent times, and we could see a new name added to the list in 2024.
2024 has seen another brilliant year on the ATP Tour with the budding rivalry of top stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner continuing to make headlines.
Sinner and Alcaraz won all four Grand Slam titles in 2024, with the Italian winning in Melbourne and New York, whilst the Spaniard took home the trophies at Wimbledon and Roland Garros.
Elsewhere on the ATP Tour, we’ve seen a new Masters 1000 champion, with Alexei Popyrin winning the Montreal Open earlier this year.
New Masters 1000 champions are quite topical this week, as plenty of players have won their first title at this level in Paris.
How have the last ten different Paris Masters 1000 champions fared?
As injuries and fatigue build up at the end of the season, we often see a surprise winner at the Paris Masters.
Looking back over the past fifteen years or so, there are a fair few names you wouldn’t expect to see taking home a Masters 1000 trophy.
2023 – Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic beat Grigor Dimitrov to take home the title in 2023, his seventh in the French capital.
The 37-year-old’s dominance at the event has reflected his dominance in the sport over recent decades, as Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slam titles in his career to date.
The Serb also won Olympic gold for the first time in 2024, a title that had previously eluded him.
Djokovic is set to play a reduced schedule however, in 2025 and beyond, as he aims to extend his Grand Slam record in the latter stages of his legendary career.
2022 – Holger Rune
One man to beat Djokovic in Bercy is Holger Rune, who won a three-set thriller against Djokovic back in 2022 to take home his first and only Masters 1000 title to date.
Rune had a strong 2023, after winning his maiden Masters title, reaching a career-high of fourth in the world, but has regressed significantly in 2024.
Rune reached the final of the Brisbane Open, earlier this year, but hasn’t been back to that stage of a tournament since, falling out of the world’s top ten, and is in need of a big comeback in 2025.
2020 – Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev’s hard court prowess, made a title in Paris unsurprising, yet impressive, as the Russian beat Alexander Zverev to the title.
The 28-year-old won the US Open a year later and reached number one in the world, as Medvedev established himself as one of the top players of his generation.
Since then, his form has slipped ever so slightly, with the likes of Alcaraz and Sinner eclipsing him, and preventing him from adding to his impressive trophy cabinet.
2018 – Karen Khachanov
When Karen Khachanov beat Djokovic to the title in 2018, many saw Grand Slam success in his future.
Those dreams haven’t quite materialized for Khachanov who is now ranked outside of the world’s top 20, and is yet to reach a Major final.
The Russian ended 2024 with controversy, as Khachanov criticized Humbert for celebrations during the Frenchman’s win in the Paris Masters semi-finals.
2017 – Jack Sock
Jack Sock’s title in 2017 may be the most surprising of all the champions we have seen in Paris.
His 2017 season was the best of his career, as Sock reached the ATP Finals for the first and only time, reaching a career-high of eighth in the world in the process.
The American won three Grand Slam doubles titles before retiring from the sport and picking up professional Pickleball.
2016 – Andy Murray
Andy Murray beat John Isner to win the final Masters 1000 title of his career, a career which saw the Scot win three Grand Slam titles and reach number one in the world.
Murray retired from tennis after the Paris Olympics in 2024, with injuries preventing the 37-year-old from achieving further success.
The Scot is now taking a well-deserved break from the sport but has hinted that he could make a return in a coaching role at some point in the future.
2012 – David Ferrer
David Ferrer’s only career Masters 1000 title came in Paris back in 2012, as the former world number three beat Jerzy Janowicz in the final.
The Spaniard also reached the final of the 2009 Australian Open where he lost to compatriot Rafael Nadal, and won the Davis Cup on three occasions.
Ferrer retired from the sport in 2019, and is now Spain’s Davis Cup captain, preparing for the finals in Malaga later in November.
2011 – Roger Federer
The legendary Roger Federer only won one Paris Masters 1000 title, taking down home favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to win the title.
Federer retired from tennis in 2022 after winning 20 Grand Slam titles during his career.
Widely considered as one of the greatest players of all time, Federer is now enjoying retirement and plays a big role in the Laver Cup, an event which he helped bring to life.
2010 – Robin Soderling
Robin Soderling was another to win his only Masters 1000 title at Paris Bercy, doing so by beating Gael Monfils in the final.
The Swede’s impressive career, which saw him reach two Grand Slam finals, was cut short by a lingering bout of mononucleosis, as Soderling played his final match at just 26-years-old.
He did return to the sport as his nation’s Davis Cup captain for a brief period but had to step down in 2023 due to further health complications.
2008 – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
The most recent French champion at the event was Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who won in 2008 in front of a bouncing Parisian crowd.
Tsonga was able to add another Masters 1000 title to his collection six years later when he won in Montreal.
The Frenchman retired in 2022 after defeat at the French Open and is now enjoying life after tennis, most notably by helping carry the Olympic torch ahead of the Paris games earlier this year.
Can Ugo Humbert stun Alexander Zverev to win the Paris Masters 1000 title?
Ugo Humbert will be looking to be the next French star to take home the Paris Masters title as he takes on Alexander Zverev in this year’s final.
Humbert will most likely be the underdog for the encounter, having never won a title at this level before, but will certainly have the backing of the French crowd.
The pair faced off at the event last year, with the German narrowly getting the better of the Frenchman in a third set tiebreaker.
Humbert has made some big improvements in 2024 however, establishing himself in the world’s top 20 with a great season that saw him win a second ATP 500 title.
The German has also enjoyed success, as Zverev reached the final of the French Open, losing out to Alcaraz in straight sets.
It is tough to call who will win this time around, but with the French crowd on his side, you wouldn’t put it past Humbert to be another to claim his first Masters 1000 title in Paris.
Zverev will face off against Humbert for the Paris Masters title on Sunday.
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