5 players with the most ATP Masters titles

The ATP World Tour Masters 1000 previously known as the ATP Masters Series is the third highest bracket of men's tennis competitions after the four Grand Slams and the season-ending ATP Finals. From 2008 onwards, all ATP Masters 1000 matches are decided in a best of three-set matches.

As of 2018, 9 tournaments are part of the elite ATP Masters 1000 World Tour - Indian Wells Masters, Miami Open, Monte-Carlo Masters, Madrid Open, Italian Open, Canadian Open (Montreal / Toronto), Cincinnati Masters, Shanghai Masters, Paris Masters.

The ranking points awarded in each of the 9 ATP Masters 1000 tournaments are as follows: Winner gets 1000 ranking points, runner-up gets 600 points, the 2 losing semi-finalists get 360 points each, the losing quarter-finalists take home 180 points each.

Those players who are eliminated in the fourth, third, second and first rounds receive 90, 45, 25 and 10 points respectively. We take a look at the 5 players with the most ATP Masters 1000 titles:

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#5 John McEnroe

John McEnroe arguing with the chair umpire in a Wimbledon match.

The German-born American, considered to be among the best volleyers the game has ever had, won an impressive 19 Masters titles during the period 1978-1985 inclusive. He won an impressive 5 titles at the London Masters and 4 each at Philadelphia and Stockholm none of which are part of the elite Masters 1000 venues today. McEnroe was also an accomplished doubles player and he even was ranked doubles No.1 for 270 weeks.

He won many Grand Slams and other elite tournaments in Doubles too. The astute shot-maker who was also known for his on-court confrontations and was a crowd-puller back in his time.

#4 Ivan Lendl

Andy Murray with his then coach Ivan Lendl after winning the Aegon Championships.

The man who many consider to be the forerunner to the modern dominant power packed stroke-play from the baseline, Ivan Lendl won an impressive 22 Masters titles between 1980 to 1989 inclusive to add to his 8 Grand Slam titles.

Packed with power and heavy top-spin, Lendl's forehands would trouble the game's best. Ivan Lendl won an impressive 6 titles in the Canadian Open - the most among all players active or retired. Lendl also enjoyed a successful spell as coach of Andy Murray.

#3 Roger Federer

Roger Federer with the 2017 ATP 1000 Shanghai Rolex Masters trophy

The man widely considered to be 'GOAT' has also won a staggering 27 ATP Masters 1000 titles till date, in addition to his 20 Grand Slam titles. Since winning his first Masters title in Hamburg, Germany in the year 2002, the Swiss maestro has added 26 more ATP Masters titles and it looks well and truly possible that he may further add to his tally before hanging up his racquet.

Federer has made the finals of an ATP Masters tournament 48 times. He is one of four men to have reached the finals of every single ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. Roger Federer is also the oldest man to win an ATP Masters 1000 title. He did so when he won the Shanghai Rolex Masters in 2017 at the age of 36.

#2 Novak Djokovic

Djokovic with his Western & Southern Open trophy

Novak Djokovic, in addition to his tally of 14 Grand Slam Singles titles, has also won 31 ATP Masters titles. Djokovic is the only man to have won 6 ATP Masters 1000 titles in a single calendar year. He achieved this in the year 2015 when he won Indian Wells, Miami Open, Monte-Carlo Masters, Madrid Open, Rome Masters and Shanghai Masters.

In the year 2018, Novak completed the 'Career Golden Masters' - the only man in the Open Era to have done so. He did so by beating long-time nemesis Roger Federer at the Cincinnati Open in Ohio in the year 2018.

#1 Rafael Nadal

Nadal lifts the Rogers Cup in 2018

The greatest clay court player of all-time is also the holder of the most ATP Masters 1000 titles. Rafael Nadal has won 33 Masters 1000 titles till date. Nadal holds the record of playing in the most ATP Masters 1000 matches (362) and has featured in 49 finals - more than any other man active or retired.

Nadal has won the Monte-Carlo Masters a record 11 times. Nadal had won the Monte-Carlo Masters a record 8 consecutive times between 2005 - 2012 inclusive.