The Three British Champions of the Paris Masters
The Paris Masters made its debut in 1969.
Tom Okker, a former world number three and 1968 US Open finalist, secured the championship by beating American Butch Buchholz in the final match.
Roughly 56 years later, Jannik Sinner claimed his inaugural title at the tournament by prevailing against Canadian star Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Only three British players claimed the prestigious Paris Masters title between 1969 and 2025 – who are these sporting legends?
Greg Rusedski
Nearly 30 years elapsed before a British male player captured the Paris Masters championship.
Greg Rusedski, a former US Open finalist, became the first to achieve this feat by beating 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras in the 1998 final.
Rusedski, the ex-world number four, won the title with scores of 6–4, 7–6, 6–3 in the championship match.
“It was a magical match for me,” Rusedski said afterwards.
“To have beaten the world number one and to have played the way I played today – I’m delighted. I felt no pressure out there and everything worked for me.”
Tim Henman
Tim Henman etched his name into Paris Masters history five years after Rusedski’s victory.
The former world number four advanced to the 2003 final by overcoming several notable opponents, including Sebastien Grosjean and Roger Federer.
Unseeded at the tournament, Henman beat Romanian Andrei Pavel in the final, taking the match 6-2, 7-6, 7-6.
Photo by JACQUES DEMARTHON / AFP via Getty Images
“In some respects that was one of my best matches because I realised the opportunity, the expectation from within to win my first Masters 1000,” Henman said of the final while speaking to the Lawn Tennis Association in 2025. “Add to that it was a best of five-set final and I don’t think I lost my serve in the final so that was pretty special to finish the week off in that fashion.
“(The scoreline) emphasizes playing the big points well. To win all four tie-breaks in the last two matches is about doing the basics well. I had a very clear game plan. I was hitting my spots well on my serve and was being aggressive moving forward.
“When I had an opportunity, whether that was on my serve or if my opponents missed their first serve, I think it was just playing some of my best tennis at the right time.
Andy Murray
Murray, a two-time Wimbledon champion, stands as the most recent British man to claim the Paris title.
Murray nearly ended Britain’s long drought at the tournament in 2015, but was defeated by Novak Djokovic in the final.
The Briton returned to the competition with renewed intensity in 2016, losing only two sets on his path to victory.
Seeded second, Murray beat John Isner 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 to secure his 14th and final Masters 1000 title.
Following this tournament, the British star rose to the world number one ranking for the first time.
“To my team and my family, this has been an incredible journey to get to the top of the rankings,” he said after the final. “I could not have done it without you.
“They make a lot of sacrifices to allow me to compete and travel the world. I will work as hard as I can to continue getting better.”
