#tbt: When the Elite 8 missed the memo, and 11 more memorable ATP Finals official portraits
A Top 9 portrait? An unintentional fashion faux pas? If you thought getting players into matching suits and snapping a photo was always a piece of cake, then you don't know tennis.
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With the WTA Finals Fort Worth in the books and the ATP Finals in Turin about to begin, all eyes are glued to social media for one thing: the tournament's 2022 official photo.
Much like the WTA Finals' iconic photo, the men's season-ending championships gathers the top eight singles and doubles teams to pose for a group portrait at one of the host cities most photogenic spots. It's usually a suit-and-tie affair, with this year's luxury outfitter, Giorgio Armani, tapped to dress players in custom suits for Thursday evening's gala.
But if you thought getting eight players into matching outfits and snapping a photo is always a piece of cake, then you don't know tennis.
Sometimes players simply don't understand the assignment, or maybe they just missed the memo. Like Spain's David Ferrer at the 2010 ATP Finals, who stood out from the pack by donning a light gray suit:
Or in 2018, when the ATP's elite eight took to the Houses of Parliament for this stylish photo—and Alexander Zverev (far right) turned up sans socks. Fashion faux pas, or fashion statement?
Despite the ATP Finals group photos tending to lean toward uniformity, over the years players have found way to set themselves apart.
In 2004, when the event was hosted in Houston, Texas, one top-ranked American bucked the norm by opting for the comfort of an American staple:
Wait, do I count nine players in this photo instead of the usual eight?
That's not because someone snuck into the official portrait. In earlier editions of the ATP Finals—then called the Tennis Masters Cup—it was customary to include the first alternate into the photo along with the Top 8. Guillermo Cañas (far left) was the alternate in Houston that year, and did not play.
While we await the official 2022 Turin high resolution photos to come in—and of course, the outfits—scroll through some of the most memorable ATP Finals photos in recent years…
Never change, guys.