Since its launch in 2017, this event has served as a critical platform for the sport’s rising talent.

A total of 47 players have competed in the event (with the exception of 2020), and it has proven to be a strong indicator of future success. Remarkably, 16 different participants, accounting for 34% of all Next Gen players, have gone on to achieve a Top 10 career ranking.

The event, focused on experimentation with rules, features eight 20-and-under top-ranked players in a round-robin format, with matches played best-of-five sets to four games.

Other unique rules include no-advantage scoring, on-court coaching via headset, and the no-let rule. The tournament also pioneers advanced “Match Insights” data, tracking metrics like “In Attack,” “Conversion Score,” and “Steal Score.”

Upsets That Defined the Next Gen Finals

Next Gen Finals has historically highlighted rising talent who delivered significant upsets.

In 2019, 8th seed Jannik Sinner, an Italian wild card, won the title by defeating top seed Alex de Minaur. This was the first major step for Sinner, who went on to achieve an ATP world No. 1 ranking and secure multiple majors and ATP Finals titles.

A similar upset occurred in 2024 when João Fonseca, ranked No. 145 and also the 8th seed, became the lowest-ranked champion in the event’s history. The Brazilian has since transferred his form from that surprise win into tangible results on the ATP Tour, reaching a career-high rank of No. 24 within a year.

His immense talent is very visible, but we are still waiting for him to fully reach his potential and perhaps create a new “Big 3” with Sinner and Alcaraz.

Key Dates and the 2025 Field

The draw is scheduled for December 14th, with round-robin matches running from December 17th to the 19th, and the final on December 21st.

Leading the Race to Jeddah is 19-year-old American Learner Tien, last year’s finalist, who recently won his first ATP trophy at the Moselle Open.

The 2025 roster is composed of more top prospects, including Belgian Alexander Blockx (20), Croatian Dino Prižmić (20), Spaniard Martin Landaluce (19), Norwegian Nicolai Budkov Kjaer (19), American Nishesh Basavareddy (20), Spaniard Rafael Jodar (19), and German Justin Engel (18), all of whom have shined at recent ATP Challenger and ITF Futures events.

Major withdrawals due to injuries include Joao Fonseca (ATP no. 24) and Jakub Mensik (ATP no. 19), an ATP 1000 winner in Miami. The reigning champion is the Brazilian, who defeated Learner Tien last year.

In contrast, the Czech was aiming for redemption after a disastrous performance last year, which saw three group-stage defeats.

Front-Runner in Jeddah: Learner Tien

Learner Tien looks like the most direct challenger as last year’s Next Gen finalist arrives with fresh proof he can compete at the highest ATP level.

Young jock captured his first ATP title in Metz, a result that pushed him into the sport’s top tier of young contenders. He stands as the clear favorite, especially considering his opponents lack significant experience at the highest ATP level.

His 2025 season has been a significant breakthrough, characterized by a mix of early-season upsets and consistent late-season form.

His year began with a qualifying-to-fourth-round run at the Australian Open, where he notably defeated world No. 5 Daniil Medvedev. Beating world No. 2 Alexander Zverev in Acapulco was further proof that Tien’s form was no fluke.

After a “Sunshine Double” slump (first-round losses at Indian Wells and Miami), Learner built momentum through the summer and fall, highlighted by reaching the Round of 16 at the Masters events in Toronto and Shanghai and making his first tour-level final at the China Open in Beijing (losing to Jannik Sinner).

He capped the year by winning his maiden ATP title in Metz. While his Grand Slam performance was patchy beyond the Australian Open (1R at Roland Garros and the US Open, 2R at Wimbledon), his overall Masters 1000 record stood at a solid 9–8, confirming his new status on the ATP Tour.

Learner has shown immense potential with significant upsets over top players like Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, Andrey Rublev, and Lorenzo Musetti, holding an impressive 5-3 record against Top 10 opponents.

However, week-to-week consistency remains the primary concern, as a heavy schedule reveals that his serve and physicality are still developing. His build, though small, is comparable to Alex de Minaur’s early in his career, suggesting that shorter players can still reach the Top 10.

His composure and ability to perform well in big points, as evidenced in the Medvedev match, are significant assets, and his lefty forehand is notably deceptive with late shape/speed changes. Ultimately, improving his physicality, consistency and serve will be key to making the Top 10 a realistic goal.

ATP Experienced Challengers: Prižmić and Basavareddy

Croatia, a small country with a rich tennis history featuring stars like Ivanisević, Čilić, and Ljubičić, has found its next promising talent in Dino Prižmić (ATP No. 128).

The young Croatian entered the stage by winning the 2023 Roland Garros boys’ singles title and becoming only the second Croatian teenager, alongside Mario Ančić, to secure three Challenger titles. After impressing his idol Novak Djokovic in a four-set Australian Open clash in 2024, Dino has since continued to develop, capturing two ATP Challenger Tour titles and reaching two more finals.

While establishing himself on the Challenger level, he also started picking up tour-level wins in 2025, highlighted by a quarter-final run at the ATP 250 in Umag on home ground.

He demonstrated phenomenal form leading up to the US Open. Despite the straight-set loss to Rublev in the first round, it was a tough match where Rublev only managed three break points. Following the US Open, a minor injury caused a dip in his form, however, he is now ready for the Next Gen event.

In comparison with the favorite, Prižmić demonstrates greater week-to-week consistency, reflected in his higher raw win rate this year (72.2%) compared to Tien’s (60.9%). While a significant portion of Prižmić’s wins is below the ATP 250 level, the American is nonetheless the more established name on the ATP Tour.

Stylistically, the contrast between the two players is less evident. Tien’s game is characterized by a defensive-minded baseline approach, using deep, heavy topspin. His game is also highlighted by tiebreak dominance (an impressive 86.0% win rate). Prižmić presents as the more consistent, point-by-point competitor, leveraging his excellent physicality and a strong return game.

It is challenging to make a direct comparison since Prižmić has not faced the same number of Top 50 players as Tien has, particularly towards the end of the year, which makes an eventual matchup highly anticipated. Prižmić is grouped with Engel, Blockx, and Basavareddy, setting up a potential semifinal/final encounter with Tien.

Basavareddy as the Dark Horse

Nishesh Basavareddy (ATP No. 167), making his second consecutive appearance at the Next Gen Finals, could very well emerge as the second dark horse alongside Croatian Dino Prižmić.

Last year, the American was still pursuing a career at Stanford University, yet he managed to qualify. Fast forward a year, and the 20-year-old has made a significant leap. His season highlights a stunning semifinal run at the ATP 250 in Auckland, demonstrating his capacity to compete and succeed at the tour level.

With this achievement, he entered the Top 100 with a career-high ranking of No. 99 in June.

Improvements have also been made to his coaching staff, including a recent partnership with coach Gilles Cervara, who is well-known for his long-term work with Grand Slam champion Daniil Medvedev.

This new, high-profile coaching influence, combined with a proven ability to surprise top-tier opponents, makes Basavareddy a player who could cause serious upsets. His final group match against the Croatian will likely determine who advances to the semifinals.

From Challenger Dominance to Tour-Ready?

For both Prižmić and Basavareddy, the 2025 season was a real wake-up call, the kind that shatters illusions.

Winning consistently on the Challenger tour can definitely give you a boost of confidence and momentum, but it also paints a pretty picture that the brutal ATP Tour loves to correct. The tour isn’t just about faster play, it’s about consistency.

Prižmić’s high win rate shows he has a rock-solid base level, but those tour-level matches showed just how thin the margins get when you’re facing world-class returners and can’t rely on easy service holds.

Basavareddy’s run in Auckland proves he absolutely belongs at this level, but the big challenge is turning those flashes of brilliance into a standard he can maintain all season.

The tournament format is brutal, and there is no room for error. Fast surface, short sets, constant pressure, and no time for a comeback into the match make it a now-or-never game.

If either of them wants to make a deep run and challenge Tien, both players are going to need that killer instinct and the rock-solid mentality and consistency we see from top pros on tour.