The much awaited NextGen ATP finals will take place from November 7 to November 11 this year. This event is designed to give the next generation of tennis superstars a platform, on which they can showcase their talents to a much wider audience. Now, we hear that a huge announcement is made regarding the rules of the NextGen ATP finals.
The NextGen ATP finals will have a very different format as opposed to the current format being used on the ATP tour.
ALSO READ : Maria Sharapova denied wildcard entry in to the French Open
Sets will be played in a best of four games while there will also be a best of five set format. There will be a Tie-break on 3-all and also no ad-scoring on 40-40. It is the player’s eventual choice on where to return.
Another new thing is that there will be a much shorter warm-up. The matches will begin precisely 5 minutes from the second player walk-on, leading to a reduction in down time before the beginning of matches.
In order to prevent players from wasting time, there will be a shot clock which will have a strict regulation of the 25-second rule. This will also be applicable during set breaks, medical time outs and the five-minute countdown from the player walk-on to the first point of the match.
There will be a No-Let Rules on serves, in order to have faster points and not to repeat them as the server’s ball touches the net. There will also be a limit of 1 medical time out per player per match.
Finally, players will be able to communicate with coach in certain moments of the match, but not on-court.
ALSO READ : Why is Federer not taking part in the French Open ?
This is what Chris Kermode, the ATP Executive Chairman and President had to say.
“We’re excited to be bringing something new to the table with this event. The sports & entertainment landscape is changing rapidly, as are the ways in which fans are consuming our sport. This event is not only about the next generation of players, but also about the next generation of fans. We’ve created this new tournament precisely to allow us to look at some potential new elements, in a high-profile environment. We remain acutely aware of the traditions in our sport, and we will be sure to safeguard the integrity of our product when assessing if any changes should eventually be carried forward onto regular ATP World Tour events in the future.”
