Some of the greatest players of all-time participated in the BNP Paribas Showdown, including Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Pete Sampras, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Bob & Mike Bryan.

The final Showdown on March 6, 2017, included Venus Williams, Garbiñe Muguruza, Juan Martín del Potro, Kei Nishikori, Jack Sock, Nick Kyrgios, Andy Roddick, & Lleyton Hewitt in a team format.

[1] Following the 2017 edition of the event, BNP Paribas withdrew its sponsorship and an alternate backer could not be found, so Tie Break Tens took its place at the Madison Square Garden.

2009 marked the inaugural year of the Billie Jean King Cup, and the first time that women's tennis had been played at Madison Square Garden since 2000, when the year-ending Chase Championships were held.

In 2011, the event was renamed the BNP Paribas Showdown; it was a celebration of American tennis legends and two of the greatest rivalries in the sport's history: Ivan Lendl vs. John McEnroe, and Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi.