2019
Shapovalov Won Deservedly

The 20-year-old Canadian (born in Israel but moved with his family before he was even a year old) won his first ATP title in Stockholm, just like Tsitsipas, and was equally thrilled.

He was the fourth seed in the tournament, but when the three higher-ranked players were eliminated in the second round, he realized his chance was there.

He played four matches without dropping a set.

The Ymer brothers continue to make strides toward the top each year, but unfortunately, Elias was eliminated in the first round by Japan’s Sugita, and Mikael was knocked out in the second round by Germany’s Stebe. Still, Mikael has had a strong year, now ranked in the top 100 and even nominated for "Newcomer of the Year" in the 2019 ATP Awards.

2018
Stefanos' Victory Made Greece Dance

The 20-year-old Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas first came to the Royal Tennis Hall in 2011 and 2012 to play the King's Cup on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour. The furthest he got was the second round. Now he returned and made history by winning his first ATP title.

Not only that – it was Greece’s first-ever victory in an ATP tournament.

His mother was also a tennis pro in her day, and his father is a tennis coach, so of course, they celebrated. Both were in Stockholm to witness it happen.

Stefanos dropped only one set on his way to the prize ceremony, and that was in his first match against Australia's John Millman.

In the final, he outmaneuvered Latvian Ernests Gulbis, who had never before lost an ATP final.

– "I’ve had an incredible time here in Stockholm," said Tsitsipas. "That’s probably why things went so well."

Elias Ymer played an excellent match against Jack Sock, taking the second set and playing stylish tennis with many crowd-pleasing moments.

– "He has an interesting future," said Sock of the Swede.

2017
Del Potro Lost Only One Set

This time, it was Elias Ymer who was the most successful of the Ymer brothers. Elias won his first match but then fell to top player Fabio Fognini from Italy.

The Stockholm crowd loves former champions, so many were rooting for defending champion Juan Martín Del Potro. He plays with power and always has a special presence. And sure enough, things went smoothly for the Argentine once again. He won in straight sets against Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in his first match and had no issues in the quarterfinals against Japan’s Yūichi Sugita.

However, semifinal opponent Fernando Verdasco was a tough competitor. It took a tiebreak in the deciding set, but Del Potro was dominant in it.

In the final, Grigor Dimitrov wasn’t quite himself. He played weakly and uninspired, losing 6–4, 6–2.

– "I think my serving made the difference," said Del Potro.

2016
No Title for Sock but a Swedish Triumph in Doubles

Jack Sock came to Stockholm with high hopes. It was his fourth consecutive year in the tournament, and he probably felt the path to victory was clear.

Sock wasn’t exactly spoiled with tournament wins, so he was really hungry for one.

But he had to work hard. Three sets and a deciding tiebreak against Tunisian Malek Jaziri, three sets against the Jamaica-German Dustin Brown, two tough sets against Portuguese Gastão Elias, and then three even harder sets in the semifinal against Alexander Zverev. 6–7, 7–6, 6–4.

No wonder Jack Sock looked a bit exhausted in the final. He lost 7–5, 6–1, but it’s worth noting that the competition was top-tier. Juan Martín del Potro is a global star.

Both Ymer brothers participated. Elias was knocked out immediately, but Mikael fared better. He eliminated Spain’s Verdasco but lost in the second round to Croatia’s Ivo Karlović.

However, in the doubles tournament, the brothers were a huge success. They won the whole thing, defeating Mate Pavic and Michael Venus in the final.

2015
Second Straight Win for Berdych

Mikael Ymer received a wildcard and fought well against Germany’s Alexander Zverev, but he didn’t quite have enough in the deciding set.

Czech player Tomáš Berdych also received a wildcard because the registration deadline had passed when Berdych contacted the organizers, and he had better luck. He defeated Zverev in the second round and Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals. Dimitrov had won the tournament two years earlier and had been beaten by Berdych in the 2014 final, so he was a tough opponent.

It was a hard-fought match as well. Berdych won 7–5, 6–4.

The semifinal was easier. Marcos Baghdatis was a skilled player, but he was injured and should have given a walkover. However, he made an attempt and had to retire after one set.

Thus, Berdych reached the final for the second year in a row. This time against American Jack Sock, who was rising as a singles player but couldn’t match Berdych this time. Berdych was in great form and full of confidence. He took his second consecutive victory in Stockholm.

2014
A Glimpse of a Bright Future

Three Swedish players got a chance in the tournament: Patrik Rosenholm, Christian Lindell, and Elias Ymer.

Patrik Rosenholm had surprised everyone two years earlier and fought well again this time. However, Bernard Tomic from Australia was just a bit better and won 6–4 in the deciding set.

Christian Lindell had grown up in Brazil, but his father was Swedish, so he chose to represent Sweden. However, he was knocked out in the first round.

18-year-old Elias Ymer from Skara also lost in the first round but still showcased his talent to a crowd that loves local players.

Czech Tomáš Berdych came to Stockholm Open for the fifth time since 2004 and took his second victory. He entered in the second round and defeated, in turn, Germany’s Dustin Brown, Romanian Marius Copil, Germany’s Matthias Bachinger, and finally Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov. All the matches were close, but Berdych was the winner this autumn.

2013
Impressive Comeback by Pim-Pim

An old hero made a comeback. Joachim Johansson, known as Pim-Pim, had retired a couple of times but decided to make a temporary comeback at the Royal Tennis Hall.

He got the chance to qualify and surprisingly performed well in the qualifiers. He defeated three experienced opponents and easily won against Colombian Alejandro Falla in the main tournament’s first round.

Then, fatigue set in. Pim-Pim lost to Canadian Milos Raonic, but he still gave him a good match. Old heroes are always beloved by the knowledgeable Stockholm crowd.

Spain’s David Ferrer was the top seed and cruised through to the final. There, he met Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who had once been ranked number one in the world as a junior but had not fully lived up to expectations.

The final also started well for Ferrer. He won the first set 6–2, but then Dimitrov took two straight sets to claim his and Bulgaria’s first ATP title.

2012
Rosenholm Sparked Hope

24-year-old Patrik Rosenholm thanked the tournament management for his wildcard by pulling off an upset against last year’s champion Gaël Monfils. 2–1 in sets for Rosenholm.

However, the shockwaves of the upset left young Patrik unable to reach the same level in his next match, where he lost to sixth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny.

Jarkko Nieminen, participating for the 13th but not the last time, was also knocked out in the second round, in his case by Lleyton Hewitt.

The generational shift continued. Thirteen players were making their debut at Stockholm, one of them being finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga from France. But the winner, Czech Tomáš Berdych, had been here before. He made his debut in 2004 but had never before advanced past the quarterfinals.

2011
What a Sad Withdrawal

Robin Söderling was in top form. He had taken ATP titles in Brisbane, Rotterdam, Marseille, and Båstad, and performed well in both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Of course, he was expected to be one of the hottest favorites in Stockholm.

But after the Båstad week, he was struck by mononucleosis and had to withdraw from Stockholm.

In fact, he never returned at all. He was fully intent on doing so, but the lingering effects of the illness thwarted all his attempts, and shortly before Christmas 2015, he announced that he had played his last match at the elite level.

Eleven Stockholm Open debutants participated, and one of them won the entire tournament. It was the top-seeded Frenchman Gaël Monfils, who defeated Jarkko Nieminen in the final. The Finn had become a true regular, this being his 12th consecutive appearance in Stockholm.

Only one Swede, Michael Ryderstedt, was in the starting lineup, and he was knocked out in the first round.

2010
Federer Returned as Champion

Former stars Thomas Johansson and Jonas Björkman were responsible for assembling a star-studded lineup, which they did brilliantly.

They managed to get Roger Federer, who hadn’t played in Stockholm for ten years, and when it became known, ticket sales exploded. The tournament was a complete public success, and even during Federer’s practice sessions, the stands were packed.

Overall, it was a brilliant tournament with strong names like Ivan Ljubičić, Florian Mayer, James Blake, and Tomáš Berdych.

The only ones who could compete with Federer for the crowd’s affection were the Swedes Filip Prpic, Michael Ryderstedt, and Robin Söderling. Robin made it to the quarterfinals, where he fought valiantly but lost to Mayer.

Even though Federer had dealt with some injuries during the season, he still won the tournament. The only player to take a set off him was his compatriot and friend Stan Wawrinka, who was making his debut at Stockholm Open.

When Federer stood alone as the tournament winner, he received the trophy from HRH Crown Princess Victoria.