5 lowest-ranked players to triumph at a Masters 1000 tournament

The ATP Masters 1000 series, known by various names over the years since its introduction in 1990, consists of 9 tournaments each of which award 1000 points to the wiiner.

As of 2019, the Masters 1000 series consists of Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome, Coupe Rogers (alternates between Toronto and Montreal), Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris-Bercy. Except for Madrid (introduced in 2002) and Shanghai (introduced in 2009), the other 7 tournaments were also part of the Masters 1000 series, then called the 'ATP Championship Series' in its inaugural year.

69 different players have triumphed at Masters 1000 tournaments over the course of three decades of its existence, with the latest player to join the winner's club being Daniil Medvedev, who beat first-time Masters 1000 finalist David Goffin in the 2019 Cincinnati Masters final.

On that note, let us meet the 5 lowest-ranked players to have triumphed at a Masters 1000 tournament.

#5 Felix Mantilla (2003 Rome)

Felix Mantilla lifts the 2003 Rome Masters title.

Felix Mantilla capped his best week on the ATP Tour by beating Roger Federer in the 2003 Rome Masters final to capture his only Masters 1000 title.

The 47th-ranked Spaniard, who won the 10th and final singles title of his career in Rome, beat David Nalbandian in straight sets in the first round before taking out American Mardy Fish in straight sets in the next round.

Successive three-set wins over compatriot Albert Costa, Ivan Ljubicic, and Yevgeny Kafelnikov took Mantilla to his first Masters 1000 final where he faced future 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer.

With a straight-set win over the then 21-year-old Swiss, Mantilla broke into the Top-20 of the ATP rankings for the first time in his career as Federer fell short for the second time in 3 Masters 1000 finals.

#4 Tomas Berdych (2005 Paris-Bercy)

Tomas Berdych hoists aloft his lone Masters 1000 title at the 2005 Paris-Bercy Masters.

After winning his first career title on the clay courts of Palermo in 2004, a 20-year-old Tomas Berdych captured the biggest title of his career at the 2005 Paris-Bercy Masters.

The then 50th-ranked Czech beat Jiri Novak and Guillermo Coria in straight sets before taking out Juan-Carlos Ferrero in three sets to reach his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

Beating Gaston Gaudio and Radek Stepanek in his next two matches, Berdych moved into his first Masters 1000 final where the tall Czech squandered a two-set lead against Ivan Ljubicic before closing out a 6-4 win in the fifth to capture his first Masters 1000 title.

With the win, Berdych rose to a then career-high ATP ranking of world no. 25.

#3 Chris Woodruff (1997 Coupe Rogers)

Enjoying the best week of his professional tennis career, Chris Woodruff won the first of two titles in his career at the 1997 Coupe Rogers.

The then 24-year-old American first beat Jocelyn Robichaud in straight sets and needed a third set tiebreak to see off Jan Siemerink. He then reeled off successive straight-set wins over Goran Ivanisevic and Mark Philippoussis to reach his first Masters 1000 semifinal.

Continuing his fine run through the draw, Woodruff recovered from the loss of the first set against Yevgeny Kafelnikov to reach his third tournament final where he beat reigning Roland Garros champion Gustavo Kuerten to lift his sole Masters 1000 title.

With the triumph, Woodruff broke into the Top-30 of the ATP rankings for the first time in his career.

#2 Mikael Pernfors (1993 Coupe Rogers)

Mikael Pernfors became the oldest player to lift a Masters 1000 title when the then 30-year-old Swede lifted the third and final singles trophy of his career at the 1993 Coupe Rogers.

Five years after winning his second title at the 1988 Scotsdalle Open, the 95th-ranked Pernfors reeled off successive straight-set wins over Mark Kaplan, Jason Stoltenberg, Jim Courier, Alexander Volkov, and Petr Korda to reach his first tournament final in over five years.

Making the most of his moment under the sun, the Swede fought back from a set deficit to down Todd Martin 7-5 in the third and emulate compatriot Stefan Edberg as the only players from his country to lift a Masters 1000 title.

In the process, the 30-year-old rose 58 places in the ATP rankings to a career-high world no. 37.

#1 Roberto Carretero (1996 Hamburg)

Roberto Carretero lifts the 1996 Hamburg Masters title.

Marking the only instance of a player ranked outside the Top-100 to triumph at a Masters 1000 tournament, 143rd-ranked Roberto Carretero lifted the lone singles title of his career at the 1996 Hamburg Masters.

Needing a third-set tiebreak to see off Jordi Arese in his tournament opener, Carretero beat MaliVai Washington and Arnaud Boetsch in straight sets to reach his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

After recovering from a set down against Gilbert Schaller, the Spaniard took out Yevgeny Kafelnikov in straight sets to reach his first tournament final where he overcame a set deficit to down compatriot Alex Corretja in four sets to lift the biggest and what eventually turned out to be the only title of his career.

The title run catapulted Carretero 85 places to a career-high world no. 58 in the ATP rankings.