A new ATP Masters 1000 champion will be crowned in the desert 🏆 Will it be @cam_norrie or @nikolozbasilash? #BNPPO21
The 2021 BNP Paribas Masters has been a truly historic one ending a trend that lasted since 1990 having being upheld in 280 events since.
The final four players at the BNP Paribas Open were Grigor Dimitrov, Cameron Norrie, Taylor Fritz and Nikoloz Basilashvili. None of these players was ranked inside the top 25 when the event began and that marks the first time that none of the final 4 players at an ATP 1000 Masters event was ranked inside the top 25.
The tradition of sorts was upheld since 1990 with all 280 events that followed featuring at least one top 25 player inside the top 4. At the 2021 BNP Paribas Open that record was broken with actually none of the players that made it to the semifinals are ranked inside the top 25. It's a truly remarkable stat to ponder about and it's unbelievable that neither of the final 4 players is ranked inside the top 25.
Obviously, by extension, that means that today's ATP final will be the first one ever to feature two players that are not ranked inside the top 25 at the start of the event. Norrie and Basilashvili have written history together and it now remains to be seen which one will write a bit more. The final starts one hour after midnight with a report waiting for you upon completion.
A new ATP Masters 1000 champion will be crowned in the desert 🏆 Will it be @cam_norrie or @nikolozbasilash? #BNPPO21