The Paris Masters was first held in 1969.
Tom Okker, the former world number three and 1968 US Open finalist, won the title after defeating American Butch Buchholz in the deciding contest.
Around 56 years later, Jannik Sinner captured his first title at the event after overcoming the challenge presented by Canadian star Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Between 1969 and 2025, only three British players won the coveted Paris Masters title – who are these icons of the sport?
Greg Rusedski
Almost 30 years passed before a British man secured the Paris Masters crown.
Former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski was the first to do so after defeating 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras in the 1998 final
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Rusedski, the former world number four, triumphed 6–4, 7–6, 6–3 in the championship spectacle.
“It was a magical match for me,” Rusedski said afterwards.
“To have beaten the world number one and to have played the way I played today – I’m delighted. I felt no pressure out there and everything worked for me.”
Tim Henman
Five years after Rusedski’s triumph, Tim Henman wrote his name into the Paris Masters history books.
The former world number four defeated a number of high-profile players en route to the 2003 final, including Sebastien Grosjean and Roger Federer.
Henman, who was unseeded at the event, defeated Romanian player Andrei Pavel in the final, winning 6-2, 7-6, 7-6.
“In some respects that was one of my best matches because I realised the opportunity, the expectation from within to win my first Masters 1000,” Henman said of the final while speaking to the Lawn Tennis Association in 2025. “Add to that it was a best of five-set final and I don’t think I lost my serve in the final so that was pretty special to finish the week off in that fashion.
“(The scoreline) emphasizes playing the big points well. To win all four tie-breaks in the last two matches is about doing the basics well. I had a very clear game plan. I was hitting my spots well on my serve and was being aggressive moving forward.
“When I had an opportunity, whether that was on my serve or if my opponents missed their first serve, I think it was just playing some of my best tennis at the right time.
Andy Murray
Murray, a two-time Wimbledon champion, remains the last British man to have won the Parisian title.
Murray came close to ending Britain’s barren run at the event in 2015, but fell just short with defeat to Novak Djokovic in the final.
The Briton returned to the event with a vengeance in 2016, dropping just two sets en route to the title.
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Murray, seeded second, defeated John Isner 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 to win his 14th and last Masters 1000 event.
The British superstar became the world number one for the first time following the event.
“To my team and my family, this has been an incredible journey to get to the top of the rankings,” he said after the final. “I could not have done it without you.
“They make a lot of sacrifices to allow me to compete and travel the world. I will work as hard as I can to continue getting better.”
