Next Gen ATP Finals players return to the classroom in Jeddah, with a fresh set of rules and a new pace. And this is where the core idea gets interesting...
One day before the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF kicks off, the eight competitors gathered for a pre-tournament briefing in Jeddah. The session covered the tournament’s innovations, rule changes, its history, and the event’s overarching purpose—showcasing the sport’s rising stars aged 20 and under.
Spain’s Martin Landaluce, who will debut in Jeddah after serving as last year’s alternate, summed up the mood: it’s reassuring to know every rule inside out and to recognize the staff and everyone behind the event who’ve worked to improve players’ lives throughout the year. “It’s nice to be here and to meet the people who are working to make our life better,” he said.
Since its inception in Milan in 2017, the Next Gen Finals have pushed several format changes: five sets of first-to-four games, shorter intervals between points, broader fan access in the arena, video review, and a shortened three-minute warm-up. A shot clock will help keep things moving, with a maximum of eight seconds between the first and second serves and no more than 15 seconds between points that conclude in three shots or fewer.
Landaluce also expressed approval of the new format. “I like the rules. I enjoy playing to four games because it keeps the match dynamic and pushes players to start stronger and stay energized.”
Data and analytics will play a larger role this year. Players and coaches will have extensive data insights to refine tactics, including live access to ATP Tennis IQ Powered by PIF, which tracks performance on tablets placed in courtside team boxes. This setup enables on-the-fly coaching during matches as part of the event’s standard coaching protocol.
Post-match, teams will receive video footage tagged with accompanying match data. A dedicated tennis analyst will be present on site to conduct individualized education sessions with the teams, and more in-arena statistics will be available to fans.
Tournament Director Adam Hogg noted the broader trend: sport is increasingly driven by data, and delivering these stats to players, teams, and fans signals the game’s future direction.
The eight players are split into two groups, competing from Wednesday through Friday, with the semi-finals on Saturday and the final on Sunday.
Top seed Learner Tien, last year’s finalist, leads Blue Group. The group also features Landaluce, Rafael Jodar, and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer from Norway. Red Group is headed by Belgian Alexander Blockx and includes Dino Prizmic of Croatia, American Nishesh Basavareddy, and 18-year-old German Justin Engel—the youngest competitor in the field.
Schedule for Day 1 can be found here: See Day 1 schedule.
Which rule changes or data-driven innovations do you find most exciting, and where do you think they’ll have the biggest impact on young players’ development? Share your thoughts in the comments.
