Next Gen ATP Finals continue

The Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan are being played with different rules, described  on the ATP website as “innovations designed to make the sport more exciting than ever”.

In fact, it only makes it shorter and faster:

Some of the changes 

• Best of five sets
• First to four games in each set
• Tie break at 3-All
• No-Ad scoring (server’s choice)
• No lets

Ok, this is a fun diversion, but let’s be real, it’s only that, and should not be seen as the future of the sport.

Thankfully, no ranking points will be distributed for this tournament, given the changed rules.  However, what is unacceptable is the decision by the ATP to class this event as an official tournament, the winner able to add this to his list of victories attained under official standard rules.  

The matches won during the tournament also count to a players’ official win-loss season records.

The International Tennis Federation does not recognize the event.

All that being said, the players are entertaining the Italian crowds

Results in the first two series of round robin matches in the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan:

Group A

Stefanos Tsitsipas (1) defeated Jaume Munar (7) 4-3(5) 4-3(3) 3-4(4) 4-2

Frances Tiafoe (3) defeated Hubert Hurkacz (6) 4-1 4-2 2-4 4-3(10)

Hubert Hurkacz (6) defeated Jaume Munar (7) 4-2 4-2 2-4 3-4(5) 4-1

Stefanos Tsitsipas (1) defeated Frances Tiafoe (3) 4-3(3) 4-3(5) 4-2

Group B

Alex de Minaur (2) defeated wildcard Liam Caruana (8) 4-1 4-1 4-2

Taylor Fritz (4) defeated Andrey Rublev (5) 4-2 1-4 3-4(4) 4-3(2) 4-2

Taylor Fritz (4) defeated wildcard Liam Caruana (8) 1-4 4-1 4-3(9) 4-2

Alex de Minaur (2) defeated Andrey Rublev (5) 4-1 3-4(5) 4-1 4-2