{"clientID":"2b71d197-0c21-4234-ba98-2689b888f985","signature":"664610f33aa0503128c41216cec8b65f079ea4ee9ece982d6c7d6715d0fc4e88","encryption":"68cad83b4246825bd81d4bc1059d4620","keyID":"183b753b-7f28-af43-f453-4bd93774f44a","user":"C1AAFC8C323DFDA567B3CD7D0E48C3DD","clientIDSh":"1d9f34e6-7f26-427f-a9d8-0fa45b27a1ca","signatureSh":"664610f33aa0503128c41216cec8b65f079ea4ee9ece982d6c7d6715d0fc4e88","encryptionSh":"68cad83b4246825bd81d4bc1059d4620","keyIDSh":"16eb5dfd-e4eb-6b7e-4294-8fc82de1428e","userSh":"C1AAFC8C323DFDA567B3CD7D0E48C3DD"}
Sport

Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals: Alcaraz triumphs in Milan

The Next Gen ATP Finals 2021 are over. In Milan Alcaraz triumphs succeeding Tsitsipas and Sinner in the roll of honor. Find out more about the tournament.

We are Title Partner of Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals because we share the attention for the discovery and the enhancement of talent, joined to a constant search for innovation. All of this is meant to promote and spread sport — and life — fundamental values, like fair play and healthy competitiveness.

Since its birth in 2017, the tournament has established itself on the scene as one of the events that have most experimented and innovated in the world of sport, introducing a format and new technologies that have led it to win prestigious international awards, like the recognition for the "Best Innovation" at the Leaders Sports Awards in 2018. 

logo

Carlos Alcaraz crowned King of Milan

A triumphant Carlos Alcaraz caps off a perfect week after defeating America’s Sebastian Korda to take the Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals title.

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz has won the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals concluding a dream week undefeated with 5 straight wins in the tournament. The number one seed and apprentice of Juan Carlos Ferrero convincingly outplayed the competition losing only one single set throughout the entire tournament. Alcaraz’s performances throughout the competition oozed a powerful concoction of maturity and physicality which allowed him to dictate his opponents and matches. 

The final was to be no exception, with the strongest challenge coming in the first set by the American Sebastian Korda, son of the 1998 Australian Open champion Petr, which ended in a tie-break in favour of Carlos. Korda, seeded number two, was also undefeated going into the final but could find nothing to stop Alcaraz’s power and prowess. First serves at over 220 kph were followed up with precise and consistent cross forehands and were to be the deciding factors in the contest. 

After lifting the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals trophy to the sky with the adulatory applause of the Milanese spectators, it seems the Iberian talent has a bright future and strong platform from which to start the new year from where last year ended.

Great tennis in the semifinals, Baez and Nakashima out of the game

The day begins with half the matches to play though double the emotion to experience: this is the magic of the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, this is the magic of the knock-out stage. The gripping semi-finals begin in Milan. Eight world class players began the event and now there are only four left, ready to battle for the title of champion.

The first semi-final was an all-American derby with the number two seed, Sebastian Korda intent on meeting head-on the agressive style of San Diego’s very own Brandon Nakashima. The encounter was absorbing and tense with the favorite Korda, who was undefeated in his group matches, playing a calculated however, somewhat tame tennis which allowed his opponent to stay in the game throughout the match. Korda is noted for his strong backhand but was unable to find his groove making him concede unnecessary points despite taking the first set by tie break. The following two sets however, Nakashima was able to dominate and win and put Korda on the back foot. Incredibly and not for the first time this tournament the Milanese crowd witnessed the tide turn and see Korda regain his rhythm and composure and book his place in the final by winning the final 2 sets.

In the second semi-final the Milanese crowd was treated to a one sided match of spectacular strength and dominance by the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz. Fresh after winning every match in his group, the number one seed blew away the Argentine Sebastian Baez with a straight 3-0 victory while losing only 5 games. Carlos flies into the final, a man determined to complete the job. Saturday will be a feast for every tennis enthusiast where the tournament’s 1st and 2nd seeds will battle it out in a mouth-watering final to see who walks away with the title and the glory.

Final this evening at 8.45pm

How the group stage played in Milan ended

Group A: perfect score for Alcaraz, Nakashima qualifies

Final day to wind up all group matches with the first curtain to fall on Group A, dominated from start to finish by Carlos Alcaraz who finished top of the group undefeated. The man from Murcia, Spain is now a firm favourite of the Milanese public after getting the better of Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerùndolo who had already been eliminated from reaching the finals after two initial defeats. Alcaraz is the number 1 seed and is showing why he is the man to beat in Milan.

Joining him in the semi-finals is the American and number 63 in the world rankings Brandon Nakashima after defeating the Norwegian Holger Rune 3 sets to 1. Despite a nervy start and strong play from the Norwegian, the American managed to keep his nerve throughout the match, forcing his opponent to a string of unforced errors to comfortably see it out at the end. Alcaraz and Nakashima march on into the finals from Group A

Group B: Baez easily wins against Gaston. Musetti out of the tournament

Group B was a more complex affair to reach the finals, at least on paper, with each player just 1 victory away from reaching the semi-finals. The first to do so and somewhat surprisingly, was the Argentine Sebastian Baez, who seems to be crowning a dream year with his presence in Milan.
Baez was up against the Frenchman Hugo Gaston and in just over 1 hour of play booked his place in the finals with a clinical 3-0 win. Baez finished the match winning 20 points more than his opponent who was possibly still feeling the effects of his Next Gen record breaking match for duration from the previous night.

Having established the first qualifier from Group B, the focus shifted to the last match of the group stage with the unbeaten American Sebastian Korda on court against Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti who had to win in three or four sets to keep his hopes alive. Despite the support of the home crowd, the American dominated the game, in particular playing splendid returns on Lorenzo's first serve and was just too good on the night. A one-way and straightforward match finished 3-0.

With this latest result the semi-finals draw is complete: Alcaraz versus Baez and the all American derby Nakashima versus Korda.

Group stage: the challenges decided by the draw

The draw box for the 2021 edition has designed a starting grid that bodes real entertainment and plot twists, bringing face to face the best eight emerging tennis players of the entire circuit.

Group A

In Group A, Carlos Alcaraz — born in 2003 — will try to make a show of force. He recently was capable of entering the top 35 of the world rankings, thus deserving the role of great favorite on the eve of the tournament and seed number 1.

The Spaniard, who has already managed to pinch Rafael Nadal of some of his precocity records, will have to confront two older athletes, like the American Brandon Nakashima and the Argentine Juan Manuel Cerùndolo, both born in 2001.

The doors of the semi-finals, scheduled for Friday, 12th November, will open for two of them.

Group B

In Group B, on the other hand, after the resignation of Jannik Sinner, winner of the 2019 edition, all Italian hopes, are on the shoulders of Lorenzo Musetti, the rising star of our movement and seed number 3.

The athlete from Carrara, born in 2002, one of the most elegant athletes in circulation, will play to enter the final stages of the tournament against the other American present in Milan, Sebastian Korda, against the Argentine Sebastian Baez and the French Hugo Gaston, all peers and all two years older than Lorenzo.

Eight tennis players, each with a unique and personal style, will compete in a captivating and dynamic format, to crown the champion of the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals, in the magnificent Milanese setting.

Format, innovations introduced, tickets

In fact, all the matches are played at the best of 5 short sets, where the player who first achieves 4 games wins, with a possible tiebreak at 3-3. A brave decision that challenged tradition, but that since the very beginning has met the public's favors, thanks to the exciting and spectacular games that have been provided to the fans.

Or we can think of the Electronic Line Calling, a technology that has replaced the line judges, or other novelties such as the video review and the possibility of communicating between players and coaches when they are switching the sides of the court. All pioneering solutions, which have been also confirmed for this year's edition. This will be held in Milan once again, from 9 to 13 November 2021, with tickets already available online on the website www.nextgenatpfinals.com and via the Ticketone circuit.

The eight best players of the world ranking, born after the year 2000, will compete with the Milan hard court, for a concentration of unique talent. This same court in the past has seen, among the winners, champions such as the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and our Jannik Sinner, who are today at the top of the ATP ranking.

The novelty of eSports

New this year is the "Next Gen ATP E-Series 2021", which is the eSport tournament. It will be dedicated to the tennis world, organized by Mkers, ATP, and the Italian Tennis Federation. Intesa Sanpaolo will be its Main Sponsor.

An online and offline meeting, with six virtual stages over the next few months and a big final that will be played live in Milan, where the eight best players will compete, just like for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals.

A demonstration of the attention to change, new technologies, and young people: the cornerstones of the partnership that unites the vision of Intesa Sanpaolo and the Next Gen ATP Finals.

{"toolbar":[]}