The ATP Next Gen Finals has produced some of the finest talents in the sport, and one of them is Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard is about to complete three years of playing that memorable tournament in Milan, which he used as a launching pad to showcase his skills.
Alcaraz played one of his best matches in the 2021 edition against Brandon Nakashima of the United States. The Spaniard was leading 4-3, 3-0 when Nakashima upped the ante.
He started the rally with an impressive serve, then launched an all-out attack from the baseline. Alcaraz, for his part, withstood everything that came his way, displaying impressive defensive skills. Soon, he was able to turn defense into attack.
After hitting a powerful forehand, Alcaraz stepped forward, forcing Nakashima to respond with a forehand of his own. The Spanish youngster was in the position to return the shot, but the ball hit the net, forcing him to quickly switch positions. Despite struggling to keep his balance, Alcaraz instinctively used his one-handed backhand to gently nudge the ball to the other side of the net, which Nakashima was unable to intercept.
The stunned audience erupted in joy, unable to believe what they had seen. The now-four-time Grand Slam champion won that group match 4-3, 4-1, 4-3. In general, Alcaraz’s campaign was exceptional, as he defeated Holger Rune, Sebastian Baez, and, in the final, Sebastian Korda. These three players are now on the ATP Tour.
Out of this world
When 18-year-old @carlosalcaraz blew our minds at the 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals!#NextGenATPFinals pic.twitter.com/ZpmkVwC4VO
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) December 16, 2024
The 2021 tournament demonstrated the importance of the Next Gen Finals, providing talented young players with a chance to prove themselves in a high-pressure environment. They are required to beat opponents who had performed well throughout the season in events such as the ATP Challengers, ATP Futures, ITF events, and so on.
Next Gen Finals 2024: The line-up and other details
The favorite to win this year’s tournament in Jeddah is Arthur Fils. The Frenchman has had a breakout 2024 season, winning titles on clay in Hamburg and hard courts in Tokyo, an ATP 500 event.
Ranked No.20 in the world, Fils is knocking on the doors to win more ATP 500 and Masters 1000 titles. In his career, he has already defeated Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, and Ugo Humbert.
A talented group of players will challenge Fils at the Next Gen Finals 2024. It includes three young American stars – Alex Michelsen, Nishesh Basavareddy, and Learner Tien. Jakub Mensik of Czechia, Juncheng Shang of China, Frenchman Luca van Assche and Brazilian Joao Fonseca complete the list.
Michelsen, Mensik, Shang, and Fonseca are rising stars on the ATP Tour, and their success has not gone unnoticed. This could be the most competitive Next Gen Finals tournament in years. The event will take place from December 18 to 22, with Tennis Channel holding the broadcast rights.
