We like to think of tennis as a linear sport, where players continue to improve and records keep falling.

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis identifies that is not always the case, as some masterful players from yesteryear posted career-best numbers that still have not been broken. Below are five players who put up amazing metrics in previous decades that have stood the test of time.

1. Mats Wilander: Hard-Court Break Points Converted Leader (45.58%)
Wilander played from 1981 to 1996, and spent 20 weeks ranked No. 1 in late 1988 and early 1989. He collected 33 titles, including three Grand Slams in 1988. Wilander was most comfortable on clay, where he won 20 of his 32 titles, including the first eight of his career.

But Wilander was also a very successful player on hard courts, winning nine titles, including the Australian Open and the US Open in 1988. Wilander remains to this day the career leader in break points converted on hard courts, at 45.58 per cent (201/441) from 61 matches.

2. Stefan Edberg: Hard-Court First-Serve Return Points Won (33.64%)
Edberg competed right around the same time as Wilander, turning pro in 1983 and finishing up in the same year in 1996. Edberg won more titles than Wilander, with 42, and spent 72 weeks at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings.

We tend to think of Edberg’s prowess more on the serving side with his flashy serve-and-volley tactics, but his career return numbers were better than his serving stats. He is ranked 18th best with return games won, and just 38th best with service games won.

Edberg still remains the career hard-court leader with first-serve return points won at 33.64% (3667/10,901) from 219 matches.

3. Alberto Berasategui: Second-Serve Return Points Won (56.31%)
The 5’8” Spaniard played from 1991 to 2001, winning 14 titles (all on clay) and reaching a career-high of No. 7 in 1994. He is our sport’s career leader with second-serve return points won at 56.31 per cent (7670/13621) from 477 matches, although Berasategui played 77 per cent (368/477) of his matches on clay courts, where is often easier to return serve.

His standout season was in 1994, when he won seven titles and lost in the final of Roland Garros 6-3, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 to Sergi Bruguera.

4. Andre Agassi: Hard-Court Second Serve Return Points Won (56.08%)
Agassi’s career spanned from 1986 to 2006, and he spent 101 weeks at No. 1 along the way. Agassi won 60 titles, and had one of the most ferocious second-serve returns in the history of our sport.

If the second serve “sat there” to be hit, Agassi routinely stepped in and crushed it. He remains the career leader on hard courts with second-serve return points won at 56.08 per cent (11,141/19,868) from 584 matches.

5. Goran Ivanisevic: Grass-Court First-Serve Points Won (89.68%)
Ivanisevic played 85 matches on grass in his career, capturing the Manchester title in 1991 and Wimbledon in 2001, the last tour event he won.

Ivanisevic played from 1988 to 2004, reaching a career-high of No. 2 in 1994. His left-handed serve was a nightmare for opponents, especially on grass, and he remains the career leader in first-serve points won on grass at 89.68 per cent (4938/5677).

These five players dominated in their era with their own unique talents, and players in today’s game have not yet been able to catch them.

The Citi Open, an ATP 500 event, has experienced a change in management but will remain in Washington, D.C., it was announced on Wednesday. Washington-based venture capitalist Mark Ein has acquired the tournament management rights from the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation, a non-profit that provides free tennis and educational programs for children in undeserved communities.

Ein has the option to buy the tournament within five years. He shared the news at the tournament’s home since it was first contested in July 1969, the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, along with #NextGenATP American Frances Tiafoe and fellow D.C. native Denis Kudla, No. 84 in the ATP Rankings. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Ward 4 City Councilmember Brandon Todd and WTEF President/CEO Rebecca Crouch also attended.

WTEF held a six-month bidding process that attracted worldwide interest, but Ein’s experience, his commitment to keep the storied tournament in the U.S. capital and his ongoing support for WTEF helped the entrepreneur stand out.

Ein grew up close to the tournament site, served as a ball kid at the tournament for many years in his youth and has attended the event throughout his life.

“I grew up with this tournament and I know first-hand the profound impact it can have on individuals like myself and on our community more broadly, so I am thrilled that we were able to come to an agreement to keep this very special event here in Washington,” he said. “This is an iconic tournament on the world stage that has been woven into the fabric of our local community across many generations. I am grateful to the board and leadership of WTEF for working with me to keep the event here, and we now need the continued engagement of the [National Park Service], city leadership and our business and tennis communities to make sure this tournament remains in the District for future generations to enjoy.”

Since the first Citi Open in 1969, the tournament has featured some of the Tour’s great champions, including Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, Michael Chang, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, as well as the players who dominate the singles game today, such as Juan Martin del Potro, John Isner and Alexander Zverev.

ATPTour.com counts down five of the most-read stories during the busy month of March:

1. Thiem Topples Federer For Maiden Masters Title
Dominic Thiem produced a special performance to claim the biggest title of his career on Sunday, surviving Roger Federer in the BNP Paribas Open final. The third time is the charm for the Austrian, who secured his first ATP Masters 1000 trophy in his third final appearance.

Thiem denied Federer a record sixth BNP Paribas Open crown, battling back for the championship 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in just over two hours. The 25-year-old produced an impressive display under the Southern California sun, storming back from a set down to stun the Swiss and leave everyone at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in awe.

“It’s unreal,” said Thiem. “It’s a pleasure to compete against Roger in this great final. I lost my last two Masters 1000 finals, but I won this one and it feels as nice as a Grand Slam.

“It was a great week and I think also a very good final today. Just amazing that I got here, my first really big title. I came from a really bad form in all categories and now I’m the champion of Indian Wells. It feels not real at all.”

2. Federer In Full Flight: Roger Soars To Fourth Miami Crown
Victory was swift and convincing for Roger Federer on Sunday at the Miami Open presented by Itau. The Swiss produced a championship masterclass under the Florida sun, dominating reigning champ John Isner 6-1, 6-4 to take his fourth tournament title and No. 101 in his storied career.

The battle between the last two Miami champions went the way of Federer in a flash, as he needed just 64 minutes to triumph. Federer toppled the big-serving American behind four breaks of serve and a staggering 32 of 35 points won on his own delivery.

“It was a dream start, relaxing my nerves [to break in the opening game],” said Federer. “What a week it’s been for me. I’m just so happy right now. It’s unbelievable. I played here in 1999 for the first time and here I am in 2019. It means a lot to me.”

3. Federer Routs Shapovalov To Reach Miami Final
Canadian Denis Shapovalov had been looking forward to playing Roger Federer practically his entire life. Before the match, he called it “a dream come true”. The 19-year-old, however, didn’t envision their semi-final going like it did on Friday night at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

The Canadian was nervous to start, and that was more than Federer needed as the three-time champion delivered another near-perfect performance at Hard Rock Stadium.

The Swiss glided around court and hit winners all match, cruising to his fifth Miami final – his 50th at the ATP Masters 1000 level – 6-2, 6-4 and will face American John Isner for a chance at his 28th Masters 1000 crown. The defending champion Isner beat 18-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6(3), 7-6(4) earlier Friday.

“I enjoyed it. I think I played very well. I had to. Because I think when you let Denis play, he’s got some serious power, and he gets rhythm going. He can really put you in uncomfortable situations,” Federer said. “So I think I did well, and I’m very happy how I played.”

4. Kohlschreiber Upsets Djokovic In Indian Wells
World No. 39 Philipp Kohlschreiber stunned five-time BNP Paribas Open champion Novak Djokovic on Tuesday, eliminating the sluggish top seed 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 38 minutes.

The 12th time proved the charm for Kohlschreiber, who was previously 0-11 against players ranked No. 1 in the world. The German also entered the match with just one win in nine FedEx ATP Head2Head matches against Djokovic.

“It’s a very special win today,” Kohlschreiber said. “I had a great strategy to play against him. I had two good wins [entering the match]. So everything came together. [It’s] very special to beat the No. 1. Unfortunately the tournament is not over. I have to get back tomorrow with a great mindset. Today I want to take the moment, celebrate with my coach. I’ve got a lot of messages. I know it’s a very special victory today.”

5. Felix Becomes Youngest Miami Semi-finalist In 35 Years
He’s only 18, but he’s already rewriting the history books at the Miami Open presented by Itau. #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime became the youngest Miami semi-finalist in the tournament’s 35-year history on Wednesday.

The qualifier, who played an ATP Challenger Tour event two months ago, beat 11th seed Borna Coric of Croatia 7-6(3), 6-2 to set up a final-four matchup against defending champion John Isner. The American beat Novak Djokovic’s conqueror Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 7-6(1), 7-6(5).

Auger-Aliassime’s success, including his straight-sets win against the 22-year-old Coric, has surprised the teenager from Montreal.

“Playing Borna, who’s been established for a few years now, I definitely didn’t expect to win. I expected more, a set like in the first. But the second really surprised me. I felt like I had margin over him, had a bit of an edge. I just felt really comfortable out there from the first balls,” he said.

1. Bryan Brothers Are Back
There was not much certainty around Bob Bryan’s comeback from a right hip replacement last August. Nobody had returned to action on the ATP Tour under the same circumstances before.

But Bob and twin Mike Bryan have picked up right where they left off, winning their 117th and 118th tour-level titles as a team, including a victory at the Miami Open presented by Itau, an ATP Masters 1000 event. “A doctor was cutting me open eight months ago and I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to make it back on court,” said Bob. “To win this title is a dream and certainly wasn’t possible eight months ago. This is huge for us.”

The brothers also reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, but fell in a tight match against eventual champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut. The Americans are in prime position to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for their 15th time as a pair.

2. Frenchmen Flying
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut completed their career Grand Slam with a dream run in Melbourne. Their only other tournament of the year thus far came at the BNP Paribas Open, where the Frenchmen lost in the second round to eventual champions Nikola Mektic and Horacio Zeballos.

Herbert and Mahut currently lead the ATP Doubles Race To London with 2,090 points. They are trying to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the fifth straight year. Last season, they finished runner-up in London to Mike Bryan and Jack Sock.

3. Mektic/Zeballos’ Magical Run
Nikola Mektic and Horacio Zeballos had only competed together once before the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. But it didn’t take long for the Croat-Argentine team to click. After saving two match points against Herbert and Mahut in the second round, Mektic and Zeballos found their best form, eliminating four of the Top 6 seeds en route to the title.

“[It’s] a little bit unreal. We’re still looking at each other and just repeating, ‘Did we just win?'” Mektic said.

Mektic and Zeballos’ future as a tandem remains unclear, with Zeballos potentially spending more time with fellow Argentine Maximo Gonzalez. But even if they never team up again, Mektic and Zeballos produced a run fans and opponents won’t soon forget.

4. Ram/Salisbury A Breakthrough Pair?
The highest-placed team in the ATP Doubles Race To London that has not competed together before is American Rajeev Ram and Brit Joe Salisbury, currently in fourth. The pair spent a week together in Florida training ahead of the season — which Ram says isn’t always an option for new teams — and they’ve been playing well every since.

Ram and Salisbury claimed their first team title in Dubai, reached the final in Brisbane, and took a set off of eventual Australian Open champions Herbert and Mahut in Melbourne.

Ram says that one of the reasons his team has enjoyed early success is that Salisbury complements him and vice versa. The American touts the 26-year-old Brit’s athleticism, and at 35 he says that he brings experience and ball-striking abilities that help them mesh well.

“We’ve built a decent foundation and now we’re just trying to refine our skills a bit more to keep improving,” Ram told ATP Tennis Radio. “I think we’ve had good results but that doesn’t mean we’re going to be playing great the rest of the season or anything like that. I think we need to keep getting better.”

5. Maximo’s March
Few doubles stories have been better than that of Argentine Maximo Gonzalez. At 35, Gonzalez has enjoyed his best season to date.

Gonzalez began 2019 with four ATP Tour doubles titles, with his first triumph coming more than a decade ago at Valencia in 2008 alongside Juan Monaco. But Gonzalez went on a tear in February, winning three titles in three weeks with three different partners. He won Buenos Aires with Zeballos, Rio de Janeiro with Nicolas Jarry and Sao Paulo with Federico Delbonis. The week before Buenos Aires, he made the final in Cordoba with Zeballos, so he went a stretch during which he won 14 of 15 matches.

Gonzalez’s play has seen him climb to a career-high ATP Ranking of No. 28.

6. Two-time Nitto ATP Finals Champs Back On Track
Henri Kontinen and John Peers won the Nitto ATP Finals in 2016-17, but they surprisingly failed to qualify for the season finale last year, finishing the ATP Doubles Race To London in 10th place.

But the Finnish-Aussie duo showed signs of its best form immediately this season. Kontinen and Peers made the Australian Open final (l. to Herbert/Mahut) and then captured their 14th tour-level trophy as a duo in Rotterdam. The veterans are currently third in the Race.

7. Veteran teams Battling For Race Position
Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo have booked their spots at The O2 together in each of the past two seasons, and they’re making an early claim to return once again, currently sitting sixth in the Race. Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic, who were the year-end No. 1 ATP Doubles Team last year, are in eighth. 

Three teams that qualified for London in 2018 that are on the outside looking in are Jamie Murray/Bruno Soares (12th), Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah (13th) and Raven Klaasen/Michael Venus (14th).

Felix Auger-Aliassime has surprised everyone save for maybe himself with his fast start to the 2019 ATP Tour season. ATPTour.com presents the 18-year-old’s rise by the numbers:

14: Number of wins Auger-Aliassime has through three months, sixth best on the ATP Tour.

Best Starts To 2019 Season

18: His age. He’s the youngest player inside the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings

33: Auger-Aliassime’s ATP Ranking, a new career-high. He’s climbed 75 spots, from No. 108 at the start of the year.

2: Auger-Aliassime’s place in the ATP Race To Milan, which will determine seven of the eight 21-and-under players who compete at the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals, to be held 5-9 November in Milan. The eighth spot will be given to a wild card.

35: By making the Miami semi-finals, Auger-Aliassime became the tournament’s youngest semi-finalist in its 35-year history.

5-1: Auger-Aliassime has lost only once to a Top 20 player.

Felix Against The Best