Players, schedule, format: Everything you ever wanted to know about the 2022 ATP Next Gen Finals (but never had time to find out)
All you need to know about the ATP Next Gen Finals, the season finale for some of the brightest young stars in men’s tennis.
Milan ATP Next-Gen Finals © ZM / Panoramic
What are the Next Gen Finals?
The Intesa Sanpaolo ATP Next Gen Finals are the season-ending event for the best male players aged 21 and under. It begins with a round-robin stage, then semi-finals, then the final. Matches are best of five sets, and each set is first to four games, with sudden death points at deuce, and a tiebreak at three games all.
Who will compete in the Next Gen Finals?
The eight top-ranked male players aged 21 and under will compete in the Next Gen Finals. Denmark’s Holger Rune did qualify for the event but following his run to the Paris Masters title, the 19-year-old has opted out of the event.
The eight players are: Lorenzo Musetti, Jack Draper, Brandon Nakashima, Jiri Lehecka, Chun-Hsin Tseng, Francesco Passaro, Dominic Stricker and Matteo Arnaldi.
The players will be split into two groups:
- Green Group: Brandon Nakashima, Jiri Lehecka, Francesco Passaro, Matteo Arnaldi
- Red Group: Lorenzo Musetti, Jack Draper, Chun-Hsin Tseng, Dominic Stricker
Is Holger Rune playing the Next Gen Finals?
Although Rune has qualified for the event, the 19-year-old Dane has opted out after his incredible run to winning the Paris Masters. Rune is ranked No 10 in the world and will be first alternate at the ATP Finals in Turin instead.
Where are the Next Gen Finals held?
The Next Gen Finals are held at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy.
When are the Next Gen Finals?
The Next Gen finals take place from November 8 to November 12, 2021.
What kind of court are the Next Gen Finals played on?
The Next Gen Finals are played on indoor hard courts.
Are tickets for the Next Gen Finals available?
Yes, tickets are available for the Next Gen finals, priced from €22. They are available via the official website.
What innovations can be expected at the Next Gen Finals?
As in previous years, the courts are marked up only for singles and electronic line calling is used throughout. But there are also some new rules for 2022.
- Quicker Shot Clock
The time between points will be shortened to 15 seconds (from 25) if the server hits an ace, a double fault or if the returner misses the return.
- One Sit-Down Per Set
Players will sit down for 90 seconds at the changeover after the first three games and at the end of the set only. There will be no changeover after the first game.
Players will change ends without sitting down before any tiebreak occurs.
Players will sit down at the end of the set for 90 seconds, down from 120 seconds. - Three-Minute Warm-up (1-3-1)
Players will have one minute to walk on, three minutes to warm up (down from 4 minutes) and one minute to then get ready to start.
- Off-Court Coaching
As in the current trial being tested on the ATP Tour, coaching will be allowed from the stands when a player is at the same end of the court as their coach. A player will also be allowed to talk to his coach if his opponent takes a medical timeout or bathroom break.
Who won the Next Gen Finals last time round?
Carlos Alcaraz won the ATP Next Gen Finals in 2021, beating Seb Korda 4-3 (5), 4-2, 4-2.
Who are the previous ATP Next Gen Finals champions?
Here are the previous ATP NextGen Finals champions:
- 2021 – Carlos Alcaraz
- 2020 – not held
- 2019 – Jannik Sinner
- 2018 – Stefanos Tsitsipas
- 2017 – Hyeon Chung
All the previous winners have gone on to achieve great things.
Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest ever world No 1 when he won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open in September 2022.
Sinner broke into the world’s top 10 in 2021 and despite an injury-interrupted 2022, will end the year ranked just outside the top 10.
Tsitsipas has gone on to rise to world No 3, winning the ATP World Tour Finals in 2019, although as yet has no Grand Slam titles to his name. He reached the Roland-Garros final in 2021, but dropped a two-set lead to allow Novak Djokovic to lift the trophy.
Hyeon Chung has a career-high ranking of world No 19, achieved in April 2018, but has struggled with a serious wrist injury.
What prize money and ranking points are on offer at the Next Gen Finals?
Total prize money at the 2022 Next Gen Finals is $1.4 million. An undefeated champion would win $432,750.
