The Top 5: Active ATP players without a Masters 1000 singles title

For years, the ATP Tour’s 1000-level events were the personal playground of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray. Over the past few seasons, though, the most prestigious events after the Grand Slams have been up for grabs, with players from Daniil Medvedev to Cameron Norrie adding their names to the title winners.

There’s still a large swath of contenders, though, who have yet to experience that feeling of victory at the Masters tournaments, despite reaching Grand Slam finals and being firmly established among the world’s top 10. Here’s a look at five of the best active players that still hope to be crowned a 1000-level champion at some point in their standout careers.

Casper Ruud

The wait will have to continue for Norway’s best-ever tennis player, as he fell in the round of 16 in Paris to Lorenzo Musetti in three sets. Ruud first cracked the Top 10 in the rankings last year, largely built upon his performances at the ATP’s 250-level events. However, he made tremendous strides at the sport’s biggest tournaments in 2022: He reached his first Masters final in Miami, and played in two Grand Slam championship matches in Paris and New York. If Ruud had won the US Open, he would’ve sat atop the ATP rankings. A Masters breakthrough is sure to happen at some point—and probably sooner rather than later.

Andrey Rublev

Ever since he worked his way back up the rankings after a debilitating injury, Rublev has been one of the most prolific title winners on tour. Since October 2019, the young Russian has won 11 tournaments, with nearly half of those coming at the 500 level. He reached the first two Masters finals of his career last year, but lost in straight sets in both matches, and, like Ruud, his chances to close 2022 with a first 1000-level title ended in Paris in the round of 16. Another berth, though, in the ATP Finals makes for a solid consolation prize for this former world No. 5.

Matteo Berrettini

It’s definitely been a year of ups and downs for the 2021 Wimbledon finalist, with injuries and illness keeping him off the court for prolonged periods of time. Through the first half of the year, Berrettini only played one Masters event and in the second half, dropped his opening match in Cincinnati and Canada. Though his best results have come on faster surfaces, Berrettini’s lone Masters final happened last year in Madrid on clay, which goes to show that he should be considered a contender for the ATP Tour’s biggest titles in the years to come.

Nick Kyrgios

As the Australian showed this year, with him, it’s all about commitment. Kyrgios played his heaviest schedule since the start of the pandemic, and reached his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. He also won his first tournament in three years, and worked his way back into the world’s top 20, despite not receiving any ranking points at the year’s third major. Though the bulk of his titles have come at the 500 level, he only has one Masters final appearance to his credit: Cincinnati in 2017. Kyrgions went 11-4 at the 1000 level in 2022, but if he plays up to his capabilities in ’23 like he did this year, a bigger breakthrough could be within his reach.

Gael Monfils

One of the most accomplished veterans on tour, Monfils' results were definitely impacted by the presence of the Big 4. Among the Frenchman's 33 career finals, three have come at the Masters level: Back-to-back in Paris in 2009 and '10, and Monte Carlo in 2016. Over the past few years, the former world No. 6 has played some of his best tennis, winning multiple 500-level tournaments, but has been hampered by injury. Provided he stays healthy, 2023 could possibly see Monfils make a magical run at a Masters title as his career starts to wind down.