Young Masters

The event for under-21 players. First played in the years 1985-87 (carpet indoors), then restored in 2017 (hard indoors). The first edition gathered 16 players in a knockout stage (the last two rounds Bo5), another three editions had 16 players who were divided into four groups, and only final was played Bo5 (finalists had to play five matches within five days!). The event quickly disappeared because it created a paradoxical situation that the best under-21 were among the best in the world at the same time (Wilander, Becker, Edberg; when the concept was introduced Wilander was the only player of this caliber) while other youngsters were also successful on the Grand Prix tour, playing their first finals. There was a technological transition in the mid 80s, and teenagers had an advantage over older players because they began professional careers with aluminium & graphite racquets while players born in the 50s had to adapt to those racquets after several years of usage the wood… The event resurrected thirty years later, as Next-Gen, proposed special rules with the most important one: only Bo5 matches in the no-ad 4-game sets (tie-break at 3-all). Eight players divided into two groups have been competing since 2017. As opposed to the 80s, in the 21st Century players who win this title, are not interested to defend it. Below results:

Birmingham ’84 (3-6 January 1985)

First round:
Giammalva d. Wilander 7-6, 6-3
Novacek d. Bardou 7-6, 6-4
R.Brown d. Cash 7-6, 7-6
Becker d. Bale 6-2, 6-2
Nystrom d. Westphal 6-4, 6-3
Edberg d. J.Brown 6-4, 6-3
Mecir d. E.Sanchez 6-4, 6-1
Sundstrom d. Oresar ?

Quarterfinals:
Giammalva d. Novacek 7-5, 6-0
Becker d. R.Brown 6-3, 6-4
Edberg d. Nystrom 6-3, 6-4
Sundstrom d. Mecir 6-3, 7-6
Semifinals:
Becker d. Giammalva 7-6, 6-3, 6-3
Edberg d. Sundstrom 6-2, 6-4, 6-2
Final:
Becker d. Edberg 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3

Berlin ’85 (1-5 January 1986)

Group “red”: Wilander, Oresar, Schwaier, K.Carlsson
Group “blue”: Hlasek, Forget, Sundstrom, Muster
Group “green”: Becker, Lundgren, Vajda, J.Brown
Group “gold”: E.Sanchez, J.Carlsson, Agenor, Pistolesi

Semifinals:
Wilander d. Hlasek 6-3, 7-6
Becker d. E.Sanchez 6-4, 6-4
Final:
Becker d. Wilander 6-1, 7-6(6), 6-0

Stuttgart (10-14 December 1986)

Group “red”: Becker, Chesnokov, Carter, Vysand
Group “blue”: Jelen, Lundgren, Stenlund, Muster
Group “green”: Svensson, J.Carlsson, Skoff, Vouncelli
Group “gold”: K.Carlsson, Cane, Pistolesi, Westphal

Semifinals:
Becker d. Jelen 6-3, 6-4
Svensson d. K.Carlsson 6-0, 6-4
Final:
Becker d. Svensson 7-6(5), 7-6(1), 6-3

Friedrichshaven (17-21 November 1987)

Group “red”: Gustafsson, Becker, Kulti, Pistolesi
Group “blue”: Muster, Winogradsky, Steeb, Schaffner
Group “green”: Svensson, Kuhnen, J.Carlsson, Kristiansson
Group “gold”: Antonitsch, Wheaton, Bergstrom, Stenlund

Semifinals:
Muster d. Gustafsson 6-2, 6-4
Svensson d. Antonitsch 6-1, 6-1
Final:
Muster d. Svensson 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2

# Becker, the main favorite to the fourth title, didn’t advance to the semifinals after a 6-2, 4-6, 2-6 defeat to Gustafsson; a year before he also lost a ’round robin’ match to Chesnokov 2-6, 6-4, 6-7, but went through by a set ratio

Champions since 2017: Chung – Tsitsipas – Sinner – (not held) – Alcaraz – Nakashima