Only 3 Players Won a Masters 1000 Without Being Broken, ATP Tour Says

Winning an ATP Masters 1000 title stands as one of the toughest challenges in professional tennis, but three players have achieved the feat with an even rarer statistical distinction: capturing the trophy without dropping a single service game the entire week, according to records from ATP Tour.

Roger Federer Sets the Precedent in Cincinnati

Roger Federer became the first player in tournament history to win a Masters 1000 event without suffering a single break when he triumphed at the Cincinnati 2012, ATP Tour reported. Throughout that week, Federer saved all three break points he faced and swept through all 47 of his service games. Three years later, at the same tournament, the Swiss star repeated the feat under nearly identical circumstances. He saved three break points, dropped zero sets throughout the draw, and defeated Novak Djokovic in the final. During that run in Ohio, Federer held all 49 of his service games while debuting his aggressive ‘Sneak Attack By Roger’ (SABR) return tactic, which helped him break opponents eleven times across the tournament.

Alexander Zverev Matches the Feat in Madrid

It took three years for another player to lift a Masters 1000 trophy without losing a service game. Alexander Zverev accomplished the feat at the Madrid 2018 at the Caja Mágica. The German player faced only a single break point during the entire week—against Leonardo Mayer—and successfully saved it. Zverev’s dominance on serve saw him win all 48 of his service games while wrapping up his matches efficiently, with his longest time on court lasting just one hour and 18 minutes during both his quarterfinal win over John Isner and his final victory against Dominic Thiem.

Novak Djokovic Completes the Trio in Shanghai

Novak Djokovic mirrored the achievement later that same season at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. The Serbian player fended off all four break points he encountered during the week: two against Marco Cecchinato in the round of 16, one against Kevin Anderson in the quarterfinals, and another against Borna Coric in the championship match. Ranked No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings at the time, Djokovic swept all 47 of his service games, including a 60-minute semifinal victory over Alexander Zverev where he conceded only three games. No player has matched the feat in an ATP Masters 1000 tournament since Djokovic’s run in Shanghai.