When Rankings Didn’t Matter: Tennis’s Biggest Masters 1000 Surprises

Although Levy lost to Marat Safin in the championship match, the run catapulted him to a career-high ranking of No. 30 just weeks later. Injuries would unfortunately derail his progress soon after, and he never reached another ATP final, but Toronto 2000 remains a symbol of pure belief and fearless tennis.

Andrei Pavel – World No. 191, Paris 2003

Pavel’s story was one of perseverance. After battling injuries that sent his ranking plummeting, the Romanian rediscovered his form indoors in Paris. Ranked No. 191, he played some of the best tennis of his career — taking down world-class opponents like Roger Federer and Sébastien Grosjean to make the final.

He would lose to Tim Henman, another surprise finalist who wasn’t seeded, but the run rejuvenated his career. Pavel went on to re-enter the Top 50 and even captured the 2004 ATP Masters 1000 in Montreal the following year, proving his Paris performance was no fluke.

Borna Coric – World No. 152, Cincinnati 2022

Coric’s 2022 Cincinnati triumph remains one of the most remarkable comeback stories in recent memory. Returning from shoulder surgery and months away from competition, the Croatian entered as a lowly-ranked player still searching for rhythm. But match by match, he regained his confidence — defeating Rafael Nadal, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to the title.

Unlike others on this list, Coric didn’t just reach the final — he won it, becoming the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in history. The victory reignited his career, helping him return to the Top 30 and reminding everyone of his raw talent and resilience. Unfortunately for him, since winning that title, he’s still yet to reach the second week of a Grand Slam over the last three seasons, and he only made the main draw at two Grand Slams this year, losing both times in round 1.

Valentin Vacherot – World No. 204, Shanghai 2025

Few saw it coming. The Monegasque, ranked outside the Top 200, stunned the tennis world in Shanghai by piecing together one of the most unexpected Masters 1000 runs ever. Vacherot had been a journeyman on the Challenger Tour, rarely making deep runs at ATP level, but everything clicked that week.

With wins over established names — including several Top 20 players — he reached his first tour-level final. Regardless of the result, the week secured him a career-best ranking and a place in the record books as the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 finalist in over two decades.

Whether it becomes a launching pad for greater success or remains a one-off fairytale, Vacherot’s run shows that in tennis, belief can still beat the odds. His result reminds us of how fun it gets when tennis becomes unpredictable.

The Common Thread: Lightning in a Bottle

From Levy’s Toronto heroics to Coric’s triumphant comeback, each of these runs tells the same story — that ranking is merely a snapshot, not a verdict. In the right conditions, with the right mindset, even the underdog can rewrite the record books.

For fans, these stories serve as reminders of why we watch — not just for dominance, but for the dreamers who, for one unforgettable week, play like they belong among the very best.