The ATP Finals is the showpiece of the men’s tennis season, with the world’s eight best players competing in a group stage format before the semifinals and final determine the year-end champion.
Initially known as the Masters Grand Prix when it began in 1970, the event has had several changes made to it since its inauguration. The finals have changed venues several times over the years and have experimented with different surfaces, though the tournament has been played predominantly on an indoor hard court.
Up until 2007, the championship match at the ATP Finals was contested in a Grand Slam-style best-of-five format, but since then, every final at the event has been just best-of-three.
Roger Federer said he wanted best-of-five finals at the ATP Finals
After defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsong in the title bout at the ATP Finals in 2011, Roger Federer was asked if the tournament should go back to the best-of-five format in the final.
The Swiss legend responded: “I think so. I think so. I mean, if it’s a match like this, it’s fine. I think it’s still enough tennis for the people. I think it’s exciting. We had the whole scenario today in today’s match. But if I would have served it out, it would have been over in a hurry.
“I think I almost felt the spectators weren’t quite ready for it to end quite yet, although many would have been happy for me, they would have loved to see more tennis. I remember sitting in a room in Shanghai where players were asked, Would you like it to be five sets or three sets, the year‑end final? Kind of went in a circle. Everyone said best‑of‑three sets.
“I was the only guy that said, I think we should have best‑of‑five sets. Okay, let’s make it best‑of‑three sets. I don’t care. I do care actually.
“I think it makes for a great year-end. Sure, you can see why maybe it’s healthier to play best‑of‑three sets. Maybe the year‑end could be a best‑of‑five set match. I do believe that, yeah.”
Roger Federer’s record at the ATP Finals over the years
Federer made his ATP Finals debut back in 2002, when it was known as the ‘Tennis Masters Cup’. He made the semifinals that year, but won the event for the first time the year after, defeating Andre Agassi in the final.
From 2003 to 2007, the 20-time major champion won the ATP Finals title four times, with the sole defeat coming in the 2005 final; a shocking upset defeat to David Nalbandian. Federer went back-to-back in 2010 and 2011, which marked his last triumph at the ATP Finals.
Federer made his 17th and final appearance at the ATP Finals in 2019, where he fell in the semifinals to Stefanos Tsitsipas.