Paris Masters 2018: Top 5 champions in the past

Setting its wheels into motion in 1968, the Rolex Paris Masters began as the French Covered Court Championships. Initially hosted in the Stade Pierre de Coubertin, the Paris Masters attracted a wide host of top-ranked players who wanted to unleash the wrath of bold attacking and fast tennis.

The event which takes place annually in the crux of October and November is the ninth and ultimate Masters 1000 event of the calendar which leads to the culmination of the tour with the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals in London following that.

Aside from Roland Garros throwing open its clay-clad courts in the summer months of May and June, the French capital city takes charge of playing host to the season-ending Masters' event of the year which also happens to be the only Masters 1000 tournament that is played indoors.

As the AccorHotels Arena gets busy with the best of tennis players flying into Paris to play, it is exciting times in the capital. The Paris Masters have perpetually been a coveted and prestigious tournament, with several legends of tennis having left their mark here!

As things get rolling in the 47th edition of the Paris Masters, it's time to look back at those invincible players who have won the tournament the most number of times!

Psst: Rafael Nadal, who boasts of 11 French Open titles, is yet to get his name on the Paris Masters trophy, having been a finalist only once in 2007!

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#5 Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi of USA

The one name to have done the rounds in the 90's is that of the controversial American Andre Agassi.

The winner of 8 Grand Slams which includes a four-time win at the Australian Open, Agassi conquered the indoor courts of Paris Masters in the years 1994 and 1999 and is one of the few players to have clinched the title twice.

In 1994, Agassi fought off Swissman Marc Rosset in a tight four-set match to win the Paris Masters for the first time. The 1999 clash between Agassi and Marat Safin, who himself has been a champion thrice at the same event, proved to be even more demanding.

But Agassi held his own ground in another four-set clash and got his second Paris Masters title in 1999!

#4 Pete Sampras

Pete Sampras has won the Paris Masters twice!

Looked up as a hero by Swiss legend Roger Federer, Pete Sampras has been an inspiration to one and many. The extent of Sampras' greatness is hard to determine, for he won 14 Grand Slams in his prime time!

Hailed as the King of Grass before Roger visited the Wimbledon Lawns, Sampras has also been victorious at the Paris Masters twice in his long career. In 1995, Sampras saw off the fierce Boris Becker in a mouth-watering final clash which was played out over three sets to clinch the first Paris Masters title.

Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman gave Sampras a tough time in the finals of 1997 before the American got the better of him. The immensely successful tennis star who has spent a record number of weeks as the ATP Number 1, made it to the finals in Paris in 1991 and 1998 too.

But the title kept slipping from his grasp, so like Agassi, he had to settle for two wins here.

#3 Boris Becker

Boris Becker has won the Paris Masters thrice!

The feisty German who has always been in the news for something or the other was a very successful and consistent performer at the season-ending Paris Masters event!

The former World Number 1 player, with 6 Grand Slams to his name has been victorious in the capital city of France on three occasions! In 1986, Becker laid his hands on the trophy for the first time when he defeated Sergio Casal of Spain in straight sets.

In 1989 again, Becker (the then future coach to Novak Djokovic) was faced with a tough opponent in Stefan Edberg (the then future coach to Roger Federer), who he also saw off in three sets to claim his second Paris Masters title.

In 1992, it was Frenchman Guy Forget's turn to try the genius of Becker. After a tight and tense match, it was Becker who prevailed over Forget to claim his third Paris Masters title!

#2 Marat Safin

Marat Safin has been victorious at the Paris Masters on three occasions!

Marat Safin has had a very mixed sort of career all along. Often remembered for his emotional outbursts on court, the former World Number 1 has been quite the consistent performer in Paris.

Between the years 2000 and 2004, Marat Safin won the Paris Masters thrice! His first opponent en route to the first title was the Australian Mark Philippoussis who he had to battle past in a nail-biting five setter which exhausted the both of them.

After claiming his first victory in 2002, Safin came back strong in 2002 when he defeated another Australian and former World Number 1, Lleyton Hewitt in a fairly easy encounter to grab his second title.

The third and last title came from handing Czech Republic's Radek Stepanek a defeat in straight sets! Safin, along with Boris Becker has won the title thrice at Paris!

#1 Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic holds the highest number of Paris Masters titles!

Probably the fittest and most flexible man on tour currently, Novak Djokovic has been the most consistent Champion of the Paris Masters event.

The Serb former World Number 1 holds the enviable record of being the only player to have done a hat-trick win at the season-ending Masters 1000 tournament when he became the only player to win it consecutively between 2013-14-15.

No other player in the history of this esteemed tournament has been able to repeat this feat. Novak Djokovic won the title for the first time in 2009 when he defeated Frenchman Gael Monfils.

In 2013, he fought off the Spaniard David Ferrer, the following year he defended his title victoriously against the big-serving Milos Raonic and in 2015 he saw off Andy Murray in a fairly easy clash.

Earlier in the year, Djokovic became the only man in 28 years of ATP history to have completed a Career Golden Masters when he won the elusive Cincinnati Open against Roger Federer!

Considering the top-notch form the World Number 2 is in, it won't be a surprise if he wins the Paris Masters this year too and makes it to a record 5th title!