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Next Gen ATP finals explained

13 December 2025 • By Pelotista.com
Tennis
next-gen-atp-finals.jpg
Photo: NSA group

The Next Generation ATP Finals is an annual men's tennis tournament created by the ATP to showcase the best young players in the world aged 21 and under. It is both a competitive event and a testing ground for innovations in tennis.

The Next Gen ATP Finals is more than a youth tournament - it often predicts future top-10 players.

How it started

The tournament was launched in 2017 by the ATP as part of its long-term strategy to promote the sport’s future stars and give fans an early look at the next generation before they fully break into the top tier of the ATP Tour.

The idea was simple:

  • highlight young talent in a standalone, high-profile event,

  • give these players experience in a finals-style environment,

  • and experiment with new formats without affecting traditional tournaments.

Since its creation, many participants - such as Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Holger Rune - have gone on to become global stars.

Qualification and conditions

  • Eligibility: Players must be 21 years old or younger during the season.

  • Field: 8 players.

  • Qualification: Based on the ATP Race to Milan (now Jeddah), which tracks results during the calendar year.

  • Alternates: Selected if a qualified player withdraws.

Unlike the main ATP Finals, there is no ranking cutoff beyond age - only season performance among peers matters.

Tournament format

The Next Gen ATP Finals is famous for its new rules, many of which were later tested for possible wider adoption:

  • Best-of-five sets, but first to four games wins a set

  • No-ad scoring (at 40–40, next point wins the game)

  • Tie-break at 3–3 in each set

  • Shot clock strictly enforced

  • No lets on serve (initially used, later reconsidered)

  • Coaching allowed throughout the match

  • Electronic line calling only, no line judges

The event begins with a round-robin stage (two groups of four), followed by semifinals and a final.

Location

  • 2017–2022: Milan, Italy

  • Since 2023: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, under a multi-year agreement

The move reflected the ATP's global expansion strategy and increased financial backing for the event.

In the Next Gen ATP Finals, prize money works a bit differently from regular ATP tournaments.

Prize money

The 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF has a prize money total of $2,101,250.

Every player is guaranteed money just for qualifying and competing, even if they lose all matches. Additional prize money is earned per win, not only by final position.

Also, there is a special feature: undefeated bonus ($539,750) - a player who wins all matches (three round-robin matches, semifinal, and final) can earn the maximum payout, often called the "undefeated champion" bonus.