#Next Gen Race to Milan

[Moxie]

The ATP has created a companion to the World Tour Finals for the young up-and-comers. It'll be played in Milan . I thought perhaps it deserved its own thread, even though we have a "Young Guns" thread. It's for 21 and under. Sorry this is not a particularly elegant graphic. Hopefully we'll improve it later.

Current standings, including age, points, tournaments played:

1Alexander Zverev (GER) AGE: 20 POINTS: 2,130 TOURNAMENTS: 11
2 Borna Coric (CRO) 20 631 15
3 Hyeon Chung (KOR) 21 415 9
4 Frances Tiafoe (USA) 19 397 13
5 Ernesto Escobedo (USA) 20 348 11
6 Karen Khachanov (RUS) 21 335 15
7 Jared Donaldson (USA) 20 327 14
8 Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 21 315 10
9 Casper Ruud (SWE) 18 298 11
10 Quentin Halys (FRA) 20 285 15
11Andrey Rublev (RUS)19 262 8
12 Taylor Fritz (USA)19 200 8
13 Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 19 196 9
14 Noah Rubin (USA) 21 189 8
15Denis Shapovalov (CAN)18 178 11
16 Soon Woo Kwon (KOR) 19 177 8
17 Blake Mott (AUS) 21 173 13
18 Omar Jasika (AUS) 20 144 8
19 Dmitry Popko (KAZ) 20 137 12
20 Duckhee Lee (KOR) 19 137 15
21Reilly Opelka (USA) 19 124 10
22 Alex de Minaur (AUS) 18 118 8
23 Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 21 113 7
24 Daniel Altmaier (GER)18 112 10
25 Akira Santillan (JPN) 20 111 13
26 Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 16 110 9
27 Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) 20 107 14
28 Zdenek Kolar (CZE) 20 107 16
29 Gianluigi Quinzi (ITA) 21 103 7
30 Sebastian Ofner (AUT) 21 98 11
31 Edan Leshem (ISR) 20 90 10
32 Stefan Kozlov (USA) 19 89 12
33 Corentin Moutet (FRA) 18 84 11
34 Michael Mmoh (USA)19 81 10
35 Marc Polmans (AUS) 20 78 11
36 Tommy Paul (USA) 20 76 10
37 Pedro Martinez (ESP) 20 74 13
38 Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 17 71 11
39 Elias Ymer (SWE) 21 66 8

 

[britbox]

Zverev is close to having more points than the next 5 put together, although some players like Khachanov will improve after RG.

 

[Moxie]

Zverev is close to having more points than the next 5 put together, although some players like Khachanov will improve after RG.

Yes, and also Chung, Coric and Tiafoe got points at RG.

 

[El Dude]

Zverev is obviously a lock, and is actually a candidate for the ATP Finals as well. I think Coric, Chung, Tiafoe, and Khachanov will also get in. The last three spots are up for grabs. Actually, it is the top 7 with the 8th spot being a wildcard. My guess is they give the wildcard to someone like Felix Auger Aliassime - a really talented, young player.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Chung is will be a top 20 player by this time next year

 

[britbox]

Zverev is obviously a lock, and is actually a candidate for the ATP Finals as well. I think Coric, Chung, Tiafoe, and Khachanov will also get in. The last three spots are up for grabs. Actually, it is the top 7 with the 8th spot being a wildcard. My guess is they give the wildcard to someone like Felix Auger Aliassime - a really talented, young player.

If Zverev qualifies for London, he'd be better off skipping it and just playing London. I just read that no ranking points are on offer (good)... so better playing the big boys for points and more cash.

 

[mrzz]

^But probably the ATP might ask him dearly to participate on the NextGen finals to promote the event. It would be a fine recipe for disaster to see the first edition make no splash following the withdrawal of his biggest attraction.

By the way you have a "live" version of the race on the live rankings page. (http://live-tennis.eu/en/atp-race-next-gen)

 

[AnonymousFan]

so this is where the #nextgen hashtag comes from... too bad none of them made QFs in FO

 

[GameSetAndMath]

If Zverev qualifies for London, he'd be better off skipping it and just playing London. I just read that no ranking points are on offer (good)... so better playing the big boys for points and more cash.

I think they don't happen on the same week. Regular WTF happens first and nextgen happens laters (either in the next week or in the week after DCF). Either way, he can and should be able to play both.

 

[britbox]

I think they don't happen on the same week. Regular WTF happens first and nextgen happens laters (either in the next week or in the week after DCF). Either way, he can and should be able to play both.

Nextgen is the week before, that's why I'm thinking he's betting off skipping if he qualifies. There aren't any points on offer and he'd want to be fresh for the WTF, where there are points on offer and more serious money.

 

[Moxie]

Nextgen is the week before, that's why I'm thinking he's betting off skipping if he qualifies. There aren't any points on offer and he'd want to be fresh for the WTF, where there are points on offer and more serious money.

I agree Zverev should probably skip, as his ambition already has him with the big boys, not in swimming in the "baby pool." (No diss intended to the event.)

I know you're not in favor of points to be awarded at the Next Gen event. I'm still not sure I agree with that. I get that it's age-exclusive, and not open to everyone, but Davis Cup is exclusive by country and other factors, and points are awarded for that which aren't available to other players to vie for. I don't see why you couldn't give points equivalent to a 250 or 500 event. They've earned their spot, and the ATP will be making money off their backs. Is it an exhibition or a "real" tournament?

 

[britbox]

I agree Zverev should probably skip, as his ambition already has him with the big boys, not in swimming in the "baby pool." (No diss intended to the event.)

I know you're not in favor of points to be awarded at the Next Gen event. I'm still not sure I agree with that. I get that it's age-exclusive, and not open to everyone, but Davis Cup is exclusive by country and other factors, and points are awarded for that which aren't available to other players to vie for. I don't see why you couldn't give points equivalent to a 250 or 500 event. They've earned their spot, and the ATP will be making money off their backs.

I don't like points being dished out for Davis Cup either. Points should only be for tournaments earned by right not age.

The ATP might be making money off their backs, but the real intention is to get their name out there and generate future interest. I don't see it as primarily a money making event, more a promotional event for the future of the sport.

 

[Moxie]

I don't like points being dished out for Davis Cup either. Points should only be for tournaments earned by right not age.

The ATP might be making money off their backs, but the real intention is to get their name out there and generate future interest. I don't see it as primarily a money making event, more a promotional event for the future of the sport.

So you see this an essentially an exhibition. A one-two-or-three off, then we never see it again, maybe. If that's the case, I get not awarding points. It's also kind of another reason for Zverev not to play...he'd skew the field. Or "screw" it. Showcase young talent, they get $, and the benefit of exposure. I get that. And I like the idea of the wild card, esp. that being the case.

 

[El Dude]

I suppose they aren't awarding points for Milan in the awkward possibility of a NextGen player passing a 22+ year old in the rankings based upon points awarded at Milan. Imagine someone like David Goffin getting booted out of the year-end top 10 to #11 by Zverev.

That said, there are ways around this. For instance, maybe Milan is a kind of wildcard tournament that can replace any other ATP 500 or higher tournament in the points, but not be added on. That is a nice perk but not a significant advantage.

 

[mrzz]

Davis cup does not gives rankings points any longer, I guess since 2015.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

I think one can justify the giving of some ranking points. Giving a boost to the best of the younger players in the rankings game doesn't seem like such a bad thing. Of course, it should be reasonable. I wouldn't be opposed to letting it count as one of their ATP500 events, with comparable maximum points.

But they decided not to do this, and for me, that also suggests that this isn't going to last.

I suppose that they are a bit unlucky in that, after years where the younger generation hasn't made an impact, they start this tournament in a year where one of the "NextGen" could actually qualify for the ATP Finals ...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Davis cup does not gives rankings points any longer, I guess since 2015.

Yes, but it is not due to principle (being limited by the country to which you belong as opposed to being open for everyone). It is because ATP wanted to screw ITF as ITF did not fork in money to ATP to compensate (for the tournaments where attendance was affected by Olympics).
But, nextgen event being ATP event, they may consider giving points after the "trial phase" is over.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Nextgen is the week before, that's why I'm thinking he's betting off skipping if he qualifies. There aren't any points on offer and he'd want to be fresh for the WTF, where there are points on offer and more serious money.

If it is right next week, Sasha should definitely skip the nextgen tourney. The nextgen folks are not getting points; are they at least getting some dough?

 

[britbox]

If it is right next week, Sasha should definitely skip the nextgen tourney. The nextgen folks are not getting points; are they at least getting some dough?

Yeah, there is a pot of nearly $1.3 million to dish out according to the ATP website. Not sure of the split though.