50th anniversary of the ATP Finals

Mainad

Mainad

Bionic Poster
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the ATP Finals under the various different names its been given over the years. The inaugural tournament was in Tokyo in 1970 and was a strictly round robin affair (no, semis, no final). Stan Smith became the first champion beating Rod Laver.

"ATPTour.com is this week celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Nitto ATP Finals with a special content series, beginning today with a look at the stunning run of five-time champion Ivan Lendl at (what was then known as) the Masters at Madison Square Garden":

 
Last edited:
B

bluetrain4

G.O.A.T.
I've always liked the YEC - though I REALLY wish it were still best-of-five final.

One of my favorite wins was Edberg in 1989. He had suffered through the back-to-back slam final losses at the French to Chang in five sets and then Wimbledon to Becker in straight sets. Then he loses the finals of Cincy to Brad Gilbert that summer followed by the out-of-nowhere beatdown in the fourth round of the USO to Connors. The fall doesn't get better - he loses to a young Courier in the final of Basel in five sets after being up 2-1; then gets hammered by Becker in three straight sets in the final of Paris.

How to make up for this downer streak - Win the 1989 Masters. In the RR portion he was beaten by Becker AGAIN pretty badly, but beat Agassi and Gilbert to make the SFs. Then he beats indoor beast Lendl in the SF and beats Becker in the final after losing the first set, which probably had him asking all sorts of question of himself. To go through that disappointing stretch of close-but-no-cigar in a lot of tourneys and beat Becker - who had won 2 Slams that year and who really had Edberg's number that year - was just an amazing "save" to the 1989 season.
 
Last edited:
D

Dan Lobb

G.O.A.T.
bluetrain4 said:
I've always liked the YEC - though I REALLY wish it were still best-of-five final.

One of my favorite wins was Edberg in 1989. He had suffered through the back-to-back slam final losses at the French to Change in five sets and then Wimbledon to Becker in straight sets. Then he loses the finals of Cincy to Brad Gilbert that summer followed by the out-of-nowhere beatdown in the fourth round of the USO to Connors. The fall doesn't get better - he loses to a young Courier in the final of Basel in five sets after being up 2-1; then gets hammered by Becker in three straight sets in the final of Paris.

How to make up for this downer streak - Win the 1989 Masters. In the RR portion he was beaten by Becker AGAIN pretty badly, but beat Agassi and Gilbert to make the SFs. Then he beats indoor beast Lendl in the SF and beats Becker in the final after losing the first set, which probably had him asking all sorts of question of himself. To go through that disappointing stretch of close-but-no-cigar in a lot of tourneys and beat Becker - who had won 2 Slams that year and who really had Edberg's number that year - was just an amazing "save" to the 1989 season.
Click to expand...
But did Edberg get the number one for 1989?
 
D

Dan Lobb

G.O.A.T.
Mainad said:
No, Lendl finished that year as #1 for the 4th and last time. Edberg achieved back to back #1s for the years ending 1990-1.
Click to expand...
Well, that's the point...the YEC does not necessarily get the number one ranking. When that happens, and when you know that it will happen regardless of the outcome of the YEC, it loses its steam.
 
Mainad

Mainad

Bionic Poster
Dan Lobb said:
Well, that's the point...the YEC does not necessarily get the number one ranking. When that happens, and when you know that it will happen regardless of the outcome of the YEC, it loses its steam.
Click to expand...

It's still an important achievent in itself though. After all, we don't devalue any Slam wins just because the winner didn't finish the year as #1.
 
D

Dan Lobb

G.O.A.T.
Mainad said:
It's still an important achievent in itself though. After all, we don't devalue any Slam wins just because the winner didn't finish the year as #1.
Click to expand...
No, but that did happen in the old WCT format, where they loaded the final match with everything.

I think that the current Slams give more points than the YEC, right?

The problem with the format is that the leader in points can just win a few early matches in the YEC and thereby guarantee the No. 1 position, and then coast.

That robs the event of a big match final. There is more drama in a Wimbledon final.
 
Last edited:
B

bluetrain4

G.O.A.T.
Dan Lobb said:
No, but that did happen in the old WCT format, where they loaded the final match with everything.

I think that the current Slams give more points than the YEC, right?

The problem with the format is that the leader in points can just win a few early matches in the YEC and thereby guarantee the No. 1 position, and then coast.

That robs the event of a big match final. There is more drama in a Wimbledon final.
Click to expand...

Players can end the year at No. 1 even without any early matches at the YEC - they can have it sewn up before the YEC. It's just a tournament. I don't see how the YEC winner being and automatic the year end No. 1 would be a good thing.
 
D

Dan Lobb

G.O.A.T.
bluetrain4 said:
Players can end the year at No. 1 even without any early matches at the YEC - they can have it sewn up before the YEC. It's just a tournament. I don't see how the YEC winner being and automatic the year end No. 1 would be a good thing.
Click to expand...
The YEC would be more exciting in a year where the top two players square off in the deciding match for both the YEC AND the year as a whole.

I am not sure how often that has actually happened.

There is no special bonus prize for finishing No. 1 on the year, just the recognition.

In 1959, you had the top two players within reach of No. 1 going into the final event at Kooyong, plus a large bonus award for the winner. Unfortunately, Gonzales withdrew from the tournament.
 
Phoenix1983

Phoenix1983

G.O.A.T.
Dan Lobb said:
The YEC would be more exciting in a year where the top two players square off in the deciding match for both the YEC AND the year as a whole.

I am not sure how often that has actually happened.
Click to expand...

It has happened only once.

MuryGOAT destroyed Novak Djokovic in 2016.
 
M

Moose Malloy

G.O.A.T.
Mainad said:
No, Lendl finished that year as #1 for the 4th and last time. Edberg achieved back to back #1s for the years ending 1990-1.
Click to expand...

no ranking points were offered at the YEC pre 1990. So #1 was never on the line in those years. But it was still an important event.
 
F

fezer

Rookie
goldenera said:
Becker was the n 1 in 89.no dispute
Click to expand...
No he wasn't. Maybe Boris was the best player in 89 - winning W, USO and DC aus Well as Philly and Bercy, but Lendl gathered the most points over the year. That decides the Ranking. Becker was lazy over the us hc stretch and missed some indoor tourneys to save fuel for masters and dc (both with NO Points for the rankings!)
 
Cashman

Cashman

Hall of Fame
socallefty said:
It would be fitting for an ATG to win it on the 50th anniversary. Go, Djokodal!
Click to expand...
In the first edition, the top seed pulled out, most of the field underperformed, and the second-lowest qualifier won the title on a countback.

So it would probably be most fitting if Djokovic withdraws, Nadal injures himself in the group stage and the final is Rublev beating Schwartzman via walkover.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Mainad
Recently retired players honoured at Nitto ATP Finals
Replies
1
Views
219
Break To Win
Break To Win
kiki
best indoor major: Masters or WCT Finals?
Replies
24
Views
4K
kiki
kiki
Mainad
Post 2020 site of ATP Finals to be put out to tender
2
Replies
68
Views
2K
ForumMember
ForumMember
nolefam_2024
Nitto ATP finals prize money
Replies
16
Views
418
dking68
dking68
C
The roll of honor of the "real" ATP Finals champions
Replies
13
Views
609
helterskelter
H
Top