Before we get down to the brass tacks of what constitutes the Next Gen Accelerator Programme, let’s take a look at the history of the Next Gen Finals which is organised by ATP.
What is the Next Gen ATP Finals?
First played in 2017, the Next Gen ATP Finals is a tennis tournament that is played at the end of the season in a Fast4 points system format among eight players aged 20 or younger.
When it was first introduced, players under the age of 21 were allowed to participate in it before this changed to 20-and-under from the 2024 edition.
In a lot of ways the Next Gen ATP Finals also brings in newer rules in tennis on a trial basis, with this tournament being used as an experimentation lab for those rules. Some of these rules have then been adopted at the highest level as well.
What is the Format for the Next Gen ATP Finals Tournament?
Much like the ATP Finals, the Next Gen ATP Finals is also played at the end of the season with eight players divided into two groups of four apiece facing off in a round-robin format.
Each player plays three matches during this round-robin stage of the competition with the top two players qualifying for the semifinals. This is followed by the final.
The match format, however, is quite different from the top level ATP matches.
Here are some of the rules associated with the Next Gen ATP Finals competition:
- First player to reach four games (instead of six at the highest level) wins the set.
- Best-of-five sets like the Grand Slams.
- Tie-breaker held at three games all, instead of 6-6.
- No-Ad scoring, i.e. the player to win the next point after 40-40 wins the game.
- Lets are back after experimenting with no-lets in 2018.
- Hawk-Eye or similar technology used for live calling.
- 25-second shot clock. In a rally lasting less than three shots, this is reduced to 15 seconds..
- Coaches allowed to talk to players using headsets. Players can also wear this gear to communicate with them.
What’s the Next Gen Accelerator Programme?
The Next Gen Accelerator Programme was introduced in December 2023 which was ATP’s way to expand the Next Gen format. It was a way through which ATP tweaked the original format to make it more inclusive and have some of the players from the Next Gen Finals feature at the highest level as well.
The ATP also brought the Next Gen ATP Finals, the Top 350 Next Gen Players and the Next Gen Accelerator Programme under one umbrella.
For starters, ATP reduced the age limit by one year to 20-and-under.
These Next Gen players were also given up to eight chances to make it to the ATP Challenger Tour 125 and 100 tournaments (for those ranked in the top 350 only).
Those ranked in the top 250 were allowed a chance to feature in one ATP 250 event main draw and two other qualifiers of such events.
In 2025, this underwent a further change with increased chances for players ranked between 350th and 500th, who will now get eight more chances to feature in the ATP Challenger 50 and 75 tournaments.
How have the Players from the Next Gen Accelerator Programme Done?
It’s still in its second year but we have already seen Jakub Mensik become the first ever player to make it to the final of an ATP 250 event having been a part of the Next Gen Accelerator Program.
He lost to Karen Khachanov in the title-decider but that performance helped him break into the top 100 on the rankings and he would later go on to enter the top 50 as well.
In 2024, Dino Prizmic qualified for the Australian Open and went on to take a set off Novak Djokovic in the first round while Alex Michelsen has become a household name with his performances over 2024 and 2025 season having made it to the fourth round of the 2025 Australian Open and hitting his career-best ranking of 32nd in the world.
How have the Next Gen Finals Players Done at the Highest ATP Level?
There have been quite a few success stories from among the Next Gen Finals players.
As on the end of the 2024 season, three of the players who qualified to feature in the Next Gen Finals, went on to become world number ones and grab Grand Slam titles – Daniil Medvedev, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Two other players, Alexander Zverev and Lorenzo Musetti, also won Olympics medals. A further three in Taylor Fritz, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud, have made Grand Slam finals.
