Four players who won maiden ATP title at Masters 1000 events

Only four players in ATP history have won a debut title at a Masters 1000 event.

A maiden ATP title is a noteworthy event for any player, as it signifies the player has arrived on the big stage. Masters 1000 events are prestigious tournaments that attract the best in the business to compete for the trophy. 

Securing a maiden ATP title at a Masters event is a career-defining instance. With ATP 1000 tournaments just a level below the Grand Slams, they are a formidable battleground for the players who turn up.  Historically, winning a Masters 1000 event is considered a major milestone as a first win on the ATP Tour.

A title run when competing against the best in his stakes matches makes reaching out for the trophy a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Since the format’s inception in 1990, just four men have accomplished the rare feat of joining the winner’s circle at an ATP 1000 event. 

Roberto Carretero – Hamburg Masters – 1996

Spanish tennis star Roberto Carretero lifted the trophy at the 1996 Hamburg Masters as a qualifier. It was Carretero’s first and only tour-level title. Yet, it gave him a place in the history books as the first man to make his debut and win an ATP 1000 title.

Carretero defeated fellow Spaniard Alex Corretja, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to complete his title run at Hamburg. Roberto was a virtual unknown and was ranked World No. 143 when he took on Corretja in the final. Corretja was in great form before the final and had not lost a single set yet.

Also Read: Top 10 male players with most ATP titles before turning 22

Chris Woodruff – Canada Masters – 1997

American Chris Woodruff ensured a maiden ATP title at the 1997 Canada Masters. It was a noteworthy title run for Woodruff in Montreal, where he defeated four top-20 players for his debut win. The then 23-year-old defeated Goran Ivanisevic, Mark Philippoussis, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and Gustavo Kuerten to take the title. 

The unseeded Woodruff overcame third-seed Kuerten 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in less than two hours to cross the finish line.

Woodruff was No. 57 in the world when he landed in Canada and had lost all three previous matches. Unlike Carretero before him, Woodruff added the 1999 Newport Open title to his collection. The American has two final appearances under his belt at Delray Beach and Philadelphia, both in 1996.

Albert Portas – Hamburg Masters – 2001

Spaniard qualifier Albert Portas emulated Roberto Carretero’s exploits from five years earlier at the 2001 Hamburg Masters. After defeating Lleyton Hewitt in the last four, Portas snapped the 16-match win streak of Juan Carlos Ferrero in the championship round.  

Ferrero had won two consecutive titles, securing trophies at the Barcelona and Rome Masters. However, in Hamburg, Portas came away the winner with a 4-6, 6-2, 0-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 scoreline to deny his fellow Spaniard a second consecutive ATP 1000 title.

Also Read: Top 10 active tennis players with most ATP titles

Jakub Mensik – Miami Open – 2025

Jakub Mensik has a stroke of luck to thank for winning his debut title at the Miami Masters. Pain in his right knee ahead of his opening round made him consider pulling out of the event. When the referee went out for lunch, Mensik went to the physio, and rest is history.

The Czech 19-year-old became the only teen to claim an ATP 1000 title for a maiden win when he defeated six-time Miami Open champion Novak Djokovic in the final. Mensik, ranked World No. 54, also became the lowest-ranked Miami Open champion when he outdid his idol, 7-6(4), 7-6(4) in 2 hours and three minutes.

Another feather in Mensik’s cap – he is the first teenager to beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets on the ATP Tour. 

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram