Tom Okker's Paris Masters record outstrips Federer and Nadal combined
Dutchman Tom Okker won more Paris Masters titles than Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal combined, but never claimed a Grand Slam singles crown.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal won 42 Grand Slams and 64 Masters 1000 titles between them, yet their record at the Paris Masters is far thinner. Federer won the event once, in 2011, and Nadal never won it. That gives them one title combined, fewer than Dutch player Tom Okker, who won two.
Two titles in the early years
Okker won the inaugural Paris Masters in 1969, when the tournament was played on carpet rather than hard courts, and did not drop a set on his way to the title. He could not defend it, losing in the first round in 1970. In 1973 he reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual champion Ilie Nastase.
Okker won his second Paris Masters in 1975. In the final he beat Arthur Ashe in five sets after trailing two sets to one. More than 50 years later, he remains one of only seven players to have won multiple singles titles at the tournament. He returned to the event only once more, in 1976, when he reached the quarter-finals.
Djokovic's record and the wider list
Novak Djokovic holds the Paris Masters record with seven titles, four more than the next best players, Boris Becker and Marat Safin, who have three each. Okker shares the two-title mark with Brian Gottfried, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras.
Close to a Grand Slam
Okker's success in Paris did not carry over to the Grand Slams, where he never won a singles title. He reached at least the semi-finals at all four majors during his career. His best results were the final of the 1968 US Open, where Ashe beat him, and semi-finals at the Australian Open in 1975, Roland Garros in 1969 and Wimbledon in 1978.
He had more success in doubles. Okker won the Roland Garros doubles title in 1973 with John Newcombe and the US Open doubles title in 1976 with Marty Riessen. He was also doubles world number one in 1979.
Career summary
In singles, Okker won 35 ATP titles, including the two Paris Masters crowns, and reached a career-high ranking of world number three. He retired from tennis in 1981.