Rank the Masters 1000 Events

[Nadalgaenger]

What are your favorite Masters 1000 events?

Here is my ranking:
1. Indian Wells (beautiful backdrop, early in the year when we are still getting a read on how the players will perform, great event)
2. Monte Carlo (impeccable location, first clay event, glamour, 007; MC has it all!)
3. Rome (Last big event before RG lots of memorable matches here).
4. Miami (highly underrated in my opinion. Has a lot of the same qualities as IW and is in a world class city).
5. Canada Masters (I like how the venue switches from Toronto to Montreal).
6. Cincinnati (Least glamorous city on tour arguably but generally a very important USO tune-up).
7. Shanghai (my interest greatly wanes after the USO but I suppose this event is important insofar as Asia clearly deserves a major tennis event).
8. Madrid (raucous crowd, ugly stadium. Should be demoted to 500 status and Queens or Halle should be promoted to a 1000)
9. Paris (It seems silly that Paris gets a GS AND Masters event. Are the fans really that deserving? Why not put this event in Asia or Eastern Europe?

 

[Supertegwyn]

1. IW
2. MC
3. Shanghai
4. Miami
5. Rome
6. Canada
7. Paris
8. Cincinnati
9. Bejing
10. Memphis
11. Tokyo
12. Madrid

 

[President]

I completely agree with the OP. Shanghai, Paris, and Madrid should make up the bottom 3 (in any order) of all lists IMO. Cincy is a decent tournament but just way too low key to be a big Masters event IMO, (and I lived 2 minutes away from the tournament for about 8 years).

 

[NatF]

Tiers in order.

Top tier;

IW, Rome, Miami

Second tier;

Canada, Cincy, MC

Third tier;

Shanghai, Paris, Madrid

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

IW, Rome

Miami, MC, Cincy

Canada, Shanghai

Madrid, Paris

 

[Mainad]

I completely agree with the OP. Shanghai, Paris, and Madrid should make up the bottom 3 (in any order) of all lists IMO. Cincy is a decent tournament but just way too low key to be a big Masters event IMO, (and I lived 2 minutes away from the tournament for about 8 years).

Sacrilege! Don't you know Cincy is the 'real Slam'? :wink:

Seriously, Cincinnati is the 3rd oldest of the Masters tournaments (after Canada and Monte Carlo) and has a long and distinguished history. It isn't my personal favourite but it is up there with the best on tour IMO.

Completely agree with you about Shanghai, Paris and Madrid, all either with ugly stadia (Paris, Madrid), lacking in history (Madrid and Shanghai) or just lacking in atmosphere (all 3). That said, the players themselves have consistently voted Shanghai their favourite Masters tournament ever since it began in 2009 so maybe they know something we don't!

 

[Inanimate_object]

Completely agree with you about Shanghai, Paris and Madrid, all either with ugly stadia (Paris, Madrid), lacking in history (Madrid and Shanghai) or just lacking in atmosphere (all 3). That said, the players themselves have consistently voted Shanghai their favourite Masters tournament ever since it began in 2009 so maybe they know something we don't!

Disliking an event because it has no heritage is the dumbest reason to do so. Perhaps we should bar any tournament that doesn't have rich legacy, and then the tour would be stuck with the same handful of tournaments year in year out.

 

[Krish872007]

1. Indian Wells
2. Shanghai
3. Cincinnati
4. Monte Carlo
5.Rome
6. Toronto/Montreal
7. Paris
8. Miami
9. Madrid

 

[Mainad]

Disliking an event because it has no heritage is the dumbest reason to do so. Perhaps we should bar any tournament that doesn't have rich legacy, and then the tour would be stuck with the same handful of tournaments year in year out.

I like a tournament to have a bit of heritage and until it develops one, it has limited interest for me and for the players as well, I suspect. It can't be mere coincidence that the least popular Masters seem to be precisely the ones that are lacking in this aspect, can it?

Of course, all events have to have a beginning and start somewhere but until they have built up a solid and steady reputation, they remain a little on the backburner for me!

 

[ZiggyStardust]

My definitive, unquestionable Federer fanboy masters rankings:-
1.Cincinnati- The one true slam, and the test of champions
2.Indian Wells- Used to be great, has been slipping in recent years
3.Madrid- Best clay tournament ever, best clay ever
4.Canada- Decent, cool birthday celebrations
5.Shanghai- sucked so far, but feels like its getting better
6.Paris- Was awesome in '11, completely worthless every other year
7.Miami- Stupid, slow courts where Roddick can beat Federer. Of course, peak Roddick would have slaughtered Djokovic in Miami
8.Rome- pooh! worst masters, could have been good in 2006, didn't take its chance
9.Monte Carlo- Bah! mickey mouse tournament, not fit for champions #majoring in minors
:twisted:

 

[Inanimate_object]

I like a tournament to have a bit of heritage and until it develops one, it has limited interest for me and for the players as well, I suspect. It can't be mere coincidence that the least popular Masters seem to be precisely the ones that are lacking in this aspect, can it?

Of course, all events have to have a beginning and start somewhere but until they have built up a solid and steady reputation, they remain a little on the backburner for me!

Tennis is in love with the past, that's why they are amongst the slowest evolving sports in the world. It's a damn shame that people discourage new tournaments because they really are very good. Shanghai is a very nice tournament and if anyone remembers Hamburg, it was a consistently poor year in year out.

No one cares about new tournaments until they become old tournaments. New tournaments can't become old tournaments unless people care.

 

[Mainad]

Tennis is in love with the past, that's why they are amongst the slowest evolving sports in the world. It's a damn shame that people discourage new tournaments because they really are very good. Shanghai is a very nice tournament and if anyone remembers Hamburg, it was a consistently poor year in year out.

No one cares about new tournaments until they become old tournaments. New tournaments can't become old tournaments unless people care.

Don't get me wrong, I do welcome new tournaments and indeed they are necessary if the sport is to grow and develop. I will watch them and enjoy them but just not as much as when an old favourite comes along because of the familiarity of its surroundings and memories of great champions and great matches from yesteryear.

As a Murray supporter, I am pleased and proud that he won Shanghai but I confess to being more pleased and proud that he won Miami and Cincinnati! :wink:

 

[InjuredNo?]

(1) Madrid blue clay


1. Indian Wells
2. Rome
3. Monte Carlo
4. Cincinnati
5. Toronto
6. Montreal
7. Miami
8. Shanghai
9. Madrid
10. Paris

It's strange to me that Paris is among the most historic but feels the most bizarre/least important. I'm thinking it's because indoor tennis isn't what it used to be status-wise.

 

[jm1980]

(1) Madrid blue clay


1. Indian Wells
2. Rome
3. Monte Carlo
4. Cincinnati
5. Toronto
6. Montreal
7. Miami
8. Shanghai
9. Madrid
10. Paris

Why are Toronto and Montreal listed separately?

It's strange to me that Paris is among the most historic but feels the most bizarre/least important. I'm thinking it's because indoor tennis isn't what it used to be status-wise

Hmmm, I wonder why

 

[Nadalgaenger]

(1) Madrid blue clay


1. Indian Wells
2. Rome
3. Monte Carlo
4. Cincinnati
5. Toronto
6. Montreal
7. Miami
8. Shanghai
9. Madrid
10. Paris

It's strange to me that Paris is among the most historic but feels the most bizarre/least important. I'm thinking it's because indoor tennis isn't what it used to be status-wise.

I think indoor tennis lacks something. I personally would much rather watch a match in the sunlight. I find the whole indoor season far less interesting than the earlier part of the year. Maybe it is because the Majors are over.

 

[AngieB]

#masters R #minors ​

But if I were to rank them, #Miami and #IW would be the top two #MasterMinors


AngieB

 

[Zoid]

IW, Rome

Miami, MC, Cincy

Canada, Shanghai

Madrid, Paris

It's good getting posters who get it once in a while.

 

[Sir Percival Blakeney]

Paris has them hipstah trophies though.

 

[SamprasisGOAT]

IW
Cincy
Miami
Canada
Paris
Shanghai
Rome
MC
Madrid

 

[Inanimate_object]

IW
Cincy
Miami
Canada
Paris
Shanghai
Rome
MC
Madrid

Of course a Sampras fan would put all the clay events last...

 

[junior74]

Paris has them hipstah trophies though.

The Knight who says NI!

 

[SamprasisGOAT]

Of course a Sampras fan would put all the clay events last...

I like and watch all tennis tournaments. Record most matches. Also Pete won Rome and lendls my second favourite player who was a big player on clay. I rate federer v Djokovic French semi 2011 as one of the greatest matches of all time.

 

[jm1980]

Seems like some folks don't understand the OP's question:

What are your favorite Masters 1000 events?

Not the most prestigious, most important or whatever. My personal favorites are:

1. Rome
2. Monte Carlo
3. Canada
4. IW (used to be further down the list)
5. Shanghai
6. Cincy
7. Paris
8. Miami (worst scheduling; also why isn't this clay*)
9. Madrid (worst crowd; high altitude oddness)

(1-3: Like; 4-7: More or less neutral; 8-9: Dislike)

*My suggestion: Make Miami the first clay event. Get rid of Madrid. Push the entire clay season one week. Promote Halle or Queen's to a Masters.

 

[NEW_BORN]

Mine would be
1. Rome
2. Miami
3. Indian Wells
4. Monte Carlo
5. Canada
6. Cincinnati
7. Shanghai
8. Paris
9. Madrid

 

[tacou]

What are your favorite Masters 1000 events?

Here is my ranking:
1. Indian Wells (beautiful backdrop, early in the year when we are still getting a read on how the players will perform, great event)
2. Monte Carlo (impeccable location, first clay event, glamour, 007; MC has it all!)
3. Rome (Last big event before RG lots of memorable matches here).
4. Miami (highly underrated in my opinion. Has a lot of the same qualities as IW and is in a world class city).
5. Canada Masters (I like how the venue switches from Toronto to Montreal).
6. Cincinnati (Least glamorous city on tour arguably but generally a very important USO tune-up).
7. Shanghai (my interest greatly wanes after the USO but I suppose this event is important insofar as Asia clearly deserves a major tennis event).
8. Madrid (raucous crowd, ugly stadium. Should be demoted to 500 status and Queens or Halle should be promoted to a 1000)
9. Paris (It seems silly that Paris gets a GS AND Masters event. Are the fans really that deserving? Why not put this event in Asia or Eastern Europe?

1. Indian Wells - Just the overall best, aesthetically, tournament set up, draw, etc.
2. Monte Carlo - Best clay event outside Paris, beautiful scenery. Now that it is a 32 draw every match is of great quality. Could make a case that it's the most difficult tournament to win.
3. Canada Masters - Canada's big tournament, fourth biggest tourney in North America, probably the best measuring stick for the US Open. I like how it switches venues.
4. Rome - A history of great matches, sets the stage for RG, prestigious event.
5. Miami - A slightly lesser event than IW in all regards, but IW is perfect so that means Miami is still a pretty quality event.

6. Paris - The remainder of the events are second-tiers, we'll call them the 900s. I like Paris best because you get the most unusual results and the courts are usually pretty quick.
7. Cincinnati - Kind of cool build up to the USO, but some top guys drop out/tank after Canada and it's kind of (no offense) a lesser city. Still a good event, just forgettable.
8. Madrid - Meh. Why did we downgrade Hamburg for this? It apparently isn't even good prep. for RG. It's cool to see the best players in the world on faster clay, but just seems unnecessary compared to Rome/MC/RG.
9. Shanghai - Or I guess we downgraded Hamburg for this. Some pretty weak crowds, usually a fairly injured draw, not a lot of effort, not very prestigious...I like the Asian swing and think they should have a 1000, but so far this tournament has left me cold.

 

[KG1965]

6 Master 1000

Here is my ranking:
1. Indian Wells
2. Cincy
3. Miam
4. Monte Carlo
5. Canada
6. Rome


7. Shanghai (Master 500 !!)
8. Madrid (Master 500 !!)
9. Paris (Master 500 !!)

 

[Olli Jokinen]

6 Master 1000

Here is my ranking:
1. Indian Wells
2. Cincy
3. Miam
4. Monte Carlo
5. Canada
6. Rome


7. Shanghai (Master 500 !!)
8. Madrid (Master 500 !!)
9. Paris (Master 500 !!)

I don't understand how you can rank Monte Carlo above Rome. Rome is a bigger tournament in every way. For me, it's the biggest 1000 (mainly because I've been there, and it's awesome).