Paris Masters

The Paris Masters is an annual men's professional tennis tournament on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour. It is one of the nine ATP Masters 1000 events, the highest tier of tournaments below the four Grand Slam championships and the season-ending ATP Finals. The event is traditionally staged in early November and is generally the final Masters 1000 tournament of the season, giving it particular importance in the late-season race for ranking points and qualification for the ATP Finals. The tournament developed from the French Covered Court Championships and became part of the modern professional tennis calendar during the Open Era. From the Open Era until 1982, it was played at Stade Pierre de Coubertin. It later became closely associated with the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, now known as Accor Arena, in the Bercy neighborhood of Paris. Because Paris also hosts the outdoor French Open at Roland-Garros, the indoor event was often informally distinguished as Paris Indoor or Bercy. These names referred to the venue or format rather than to separate tournaments. The tournament’s commercial naming has changed over time. It was known as the BNP Paribas Masters from 2003 through 2016, reflecting its title sponsorship during that period. From 2017 onward, it has been promoted as the Rolex Paris Masters. The Rolex name is therefore a sponsorship designation, while Paris Masters remains the core tournament identity. In 2025, the event moved from Accor Arena in Bercy to La Défense Arena in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris. This relocation marked a significant venue change while preserving the tournament’s position on the ATP calendar and its identity as an indoor Paris-region Masters 1000 event. The competition has historically been known for indoor hard-court tennis. Earlier editions used a notably fast surface that favored aggressive serving and attacking play; from 2011, the playing conditions followed the broader trend toward slower courts across professional tennis. The tournament includes singles and doubles competitions and attracts the leading players competing on the ATP Tour. The Paris Masters has a distinctive place in tennis history because it is one of the two major ATP tournaments held in the Paris area, alongside the French Open. Ilie Năstase, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are identified with winning both Paris tournaments. Năstase, Agassi and Djokovic achieved that Paris double in the same season, while Djokovic did so twice. Djokovic is the event’s leading singles champion with seven titles and is the only singles player to defend the Paris Masters title, doing so across the 2013, 2014 and 2015 editions.

The Paris Masters traces its lineage to the French Covered Court Championships, a predecessor event in French indoor tennis. Its modern identity developed during the Open Era, when the tournament became part of the professional men's calendar and was held at Stade Pierre de Coubertin through 1982. The event subsequently became associated with Paris-Bercy, where it was staged at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, later renamed Accor Arena. The Bercy venue gave the competition a durable popular identity: tennis audiences and media frequently called it Paris Indoor or simply Bercy. Those informal names helped distinguish the indoor Masters tournament from the French Open, the other major tennis event held in Paris but played outdoors at Roland-Garros. A major competitive and institutional turning point came in 1989, when the tournament was upgraded to the Grand Prix Tour's Super Series. The event later became part of the ATP Masters 1000 category, the ATP Tour's group of nine premier tournaments beneath the Grand Slam level. Its calendar position in early November made it the last Masters 1000 event of the season and an important late-season opportunity for ranking points and ATP Finals qualification. The tournament has traditionally been played indoors on hard courts. Earlier court conditions were regarded as among the fastest on the tour and rewarded powerful serving, quick attacking patterns and aggressive net play. From 2011, the surface followed the wider professional-tennis trend toward slower playing conditions, changing the balance between attacking and defensive styles without removing the event's indoor character. Commercial sponsorship has repeatedly shaped the public name of the competition. Between 2003 and 2016, it was officially called the BNP Paribas Masters. Since 2017, its sponsorship name has been the Rolex Paris Masters. These naming changes did not alter its role in the ATP calendar or its status as a Masters 1000 tournament. The event's competitive history includes several notable links with the French Open. Ilie Năstase, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are the singles players identified as having won both major Parisian tournaments. Năstase, Agassi and Djokovic won both in the same season, with Djokovic accomplishing that feat twice. Djokovic also holds the tournament's singles title record with seven championships and is the only player to defend the title, winning in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In 2025, the Paris Masters left its long-standing Bercy location and moved to La Défense Arena in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris. The relocation changed the physical setting of the event while maintaining its Paris-region identity, indoor format and position as the final Masters 1000 tournament on the regular ATP calendar.

• 2025

  Relocation to La Défense Arena

  [1]Paris Mastersen.wikipedia.org

  The tournament moved from Accor Arena in Bercy to La Défense Arena in Nanterre.

• 2017

  Rolex Paris Masters branding begins

  [1]Paris Mastersen.wikipedia.org

  The tournament began using the Rolex Paris Masters name after the BNP Paribas sponsorship period.

• 2011

  Court conditions become slower

  [1]Paris Mastersen.wikipedia.org

  The tournament's playing surface began following the broader tour trend toward slower court conditions.

• 2003

  BNP Paribas naming period begins

  [1]Paris Mastersen.wikipedia.org

  The event adopted the BNP Paribas Masters name for sponsorship purposes.

• 1989

  Promotion to Grand Prix Super Series

  [1]Paris Mastersen.wikipedia.org

  The tournament was upgraded to the Grand Prix Tour's Super Series level.

• 1982

  End of Stade Pierre de Coubertin period

  [1]Paris Mastersen.wikipedia.org

  The event's run at Stade Pierre de Coubertin ended after 1982, before its long association with the Bercy venue.

• Origins in the French Covered Court Championships

  [1]Paris Mastersen.wikipedia.org

  The Paris Masters developed from the French Covered Court Championships, which served as its historical predecessor.

• Open Era tournament established at Stade Pierre de Coubertin

  [1]Paris Mastersen.wikipedia.org

  During the Open Era, the tournament was held at Stade Pierre de Coubertin until 1982.

A premier indoor men's tennis tournament and one of the ATP Tour's nine Masters 1000 events, positioned as the final Masters 1000 stop of the season and a major preparation and qualification event before the ATP Finals.

• Professional tennis competition

  Paris Masters singles

  The flagship men's singles draw of the tournament. As an ATP Masters 1000 competition, it brings together leading ATP Tour players for a high-value indoor hard-court event late in the season. The singles competition awards ranking points and contributes to the final stages of the annual race for the ATP Finals.

• Professional tennis competition

  Paris Masters doubles

  The tournament's men's doubles competition, staged alongside the singles event. It forms part of the elite ATP calendar and provides a separate competitive pathway for doubles specialists and players competing in both disciplines.

• 2025

  Relocation from Bercy to La Défense ArenaStrategy

  Background

  After a long period at the Bercy venue, the tournament changed its Paris-region location.

  Action taken

  The event moved from Accor Arena in Bercy to La Défense Arena in Nanterre.

  Aftermath

  The tournament continued as an indoor Paris-region ATP Masters 1000 event under a new venue arrangement.

  Source

• 2017

  Adoption of Rolex Paris Masters sponsorship nameOther

  Background

  The tournament's previous BNP Paribas naming arrangement ended after 2016.

  Action taken

  The event adopted the Rolex Paris Masters title for sponsorship purposes.

  Aftermath

  The Rolex name became the tournament's principal commercial identity while the event retained its ATP Masters 1000 status.

  Source

• 1989

  Upgrade to Grand Prix Super SeriesStrategy

  Background

  The tournament was being positioned within the highest levels of the professional men's tennis calendar.

  Action taken

  The event was upgraded to the Grand Prix Tour's Super Series.

  Aftermath

  The upgrade strengthened the tournament's status and preceded its later place in the ATP Masters 1000 structure.

  Source

1. 1Paris Mastersen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Rolex Paris Masters official websiterolexparismasters.com