The draw for the Next Gen ATP Finals, the highly anticipated global event organized by the Saudi Tennis Federation under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Sport and sponsored by the Public Investment Fund, was held today. The tournament is scheduled to take place at the indoor arena of King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah from December 17 to 21, 2025, amidst great anticipation from tennis fans worldwide.
Draw results and group distribution
The draw resulted in the division of the world's eight best players (under 21 years old) into two fiery groups, promising tough matches from day one:
- The first group (blue): included American Lerner Tien, Spaniard Martin Landalusi, his compatriot Rafael Godard, and Norwegian Nikolai Budkov Kjær.
- The second group (the red group): It consisted of Belgian Alexander Bloks, Croatian Dino Przemic, along with American Nechich Basavaridi, and German Justin Engel.
Championship system and path to the title
The ATP Next Gen Finals are played in a round-robin format within each group, with each player facing the three other players in their group. The top two players from each group advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals, the winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B, and vice versa, to determine the two finalists who will be crowned the Next Gen ATP champion.
The importance of the event and Jeddah's global standing
This tournament holds immense strategic importance in the world of tennis, renowned as a "factory of champions." Historically, it has witnessed the rise of stars who went on to become legends of the game and world number one, such as Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Italy's Jannik Sinner, and Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas. Saudi Arabia's hosting of this event in Jeddah underscores its growing stature as a global sporting destination, particularly following the tournament's relocation from its former home in Milan, Italy, to Jeddah under a multi-year partnership agreement.
Sports support and Vision 2030
The organization of this event comes as a result of the strategic partnership between the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Saudi Tennis Federation, which reflects the unlimited support that the sports sector enjoys in the Kingdom in line with the objectives of Vision 2030. These hostings aim to promote tennis culture locally, inspire the next generation of Saudi athletes, as well as revitalize sports tourism and attract global attention to the advanced infrastructure of King Abdullah Sports City.
It is worth noting that the tournament's prize money amounts to US$2.1 million, which adds a great incentive for young players to perform at their best at the end of the professional tennis season.
