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The NextGen ATP Finals has played host to a number of talented youngsters who have gone on to become well-established names on the ATP tour. The likes of Daniil Medvedev, Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas have all competed in the year-end event, which takes place in Milan.
Last year, Alcaraz won the tournament by defeating Sebastian Korda 4-3(5), 4-2, 4-2 in the final. The Spaniard is in the midst of an exceptional season and is currently ranked No. 5 in the world.
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Runner-up Korda was ranked as high as 30th this season before slipping to 57th. Other competitors included Lorenzo Musetti, who recently beat Alcaraz to win his maiden ATP title in Hamburg, and Holger Rune, who won the BMW Open in May.
The inaugural edition of the tournament took place in 2017 with a number of young talents competing. Two players from that pool are currently in the top 10 of the ATP rankings, while some have already retired.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at how the participants in the inaugural edition of the NextGen ATP Finals are faring now:
#1 Andrey Rublev
Andrey Rublev was the top seed in the inaugural edition of the NextGen ATP Finals, having won his maiden ATP title and making the quarterfinals of the US Open. He reached the final before being beaten by Chung Hyeon. The Russian established himself as one of the best players in the world in the years that followed.
The 2020 season was a career defining one for the Russian as he won five titles, including three ATP 500 tournaments. He also reached the quarterfinals of the French Open and the US Open. Rublev's exploits saw him enter the top 10 of the ATP rankings.
The Russian enjoyed another good year in 2021 as he won the Rotterdam Open and reached two Masters 1000 finals in Monte-Carlo and Cincinnati. He entered the ATP top 5 and finished the year ranked 5th.
Rublev has fared well so far this season, with 32 wins out of 43 matches so far. He won three titles in Marseille, Dubai and Belgrade while reaching the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters. The 24-year-old is currently ranked 8th in the world.
#2 Karen Khachanov
Karen Khachanov was the second seed in the competition but won just one match against Jared Donaldson. He lost to Daniil Medvedev and Borna Coric, and was unable to qualify for the semifinals.
The Russian enjoyed the best year of his career to date in 2018, winning his first Masters 1000 title at the Paris Masters. He also reached the semifinals of the Rogers Cup while winning the Open 13 and the Kremlin Cup. Khachanov's performances in 2018 saw him enter the top 10 of the ATP rankings
Khachanov reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal in 2019 at the French Open. The Russian had some good moments in 2021, most notably claiming the silver medal in the men's singles event at the Tokyo Olympics. He also reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon that year.
Khachanov is currently ranked No. 23 in the world.
#3 Denis Shapovalov
The Canadian burst onto the scene in 2017 after he beat Rafael Nadal in the Rogers Cup and later reached the semifinals of the competition. Shapovalov finished third in his group after winning just one match at the NextGen ATP Finals.
The southpaw rose up the ranks over the years and reached his maiden Masters 1000 final at the 2019 Paris Masters. He entered the top 10 of the ATP rankings in 2020 when he got to the semifinals of the Italian Open and the quarterfinals of the US Open.
Shapovalov reached his maiden Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon last year. This season, the Canadian helped his nation win the ATP Cup before reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. He is currently ranked 21st in the world.
#4 Borna Coric
The Croat was considered a rising star in 2017, having previously reached the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open. Coric won all of his group games at the NextGen ATP Finals but lost to Andrey Rublev in the semifinals.
2018 was a pretty good year for him as he made the final of the Shanghai Masters and the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters. He also attained a career-high ranking of No. 12. Injuries hampered Coric and he took a break from tennis after undergoing shoulder surgery last year.
The Croat returned to action at the Indian Wells Masters but has managed to win only four out of 11 matches this season. His best result was a quarterfinal showing at the Hamburg European Open.
#5 Jared Donaldson
Donaldson entered the 2017 NextGen ATP Finals after reaching the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Masters. He lost all of his matches in the group stage against Daniil Medvedev, Borna Coric and Karen Khachanov.
Donaldson breached the top 50 of the ATP rankings in 2018 but things did not go well for him after that. Injuries have hindered the American's career, with his last match coming in 2019 when he faced Andrey Rublev in the qualifying rounds of the Miami Masters.
#6 Chung Hyeon
The South Korean was seeded sixth at the NextGen ATP Finals and won it by beating Rublev in the final. He ousted Daniil Medvedev 4-1, 4-1, 3-4(4), 1-4, 4-0 in the semifinals.
2018 was a memorable year for Chung as he reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, beating Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic in the process. He also made it to the quarterfinals of two Masters 1000 tournaments and entered the ATP top 20.
Chung struggled with injuries in 2019 and, as a result, fell out of the top 150.
#7 Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev was the second-lowest seed in the inaugural edition of the NextGen ATP Finals. However, none of the other players in the competition have had a better career than the Russian to date.
Daniil Medvedev reached the semifinals of the 2017 NextGen ATP Finals but lost to Chung Hyeon. The Russian began to rise up the ranks in 2018 and was in the top 20 by the end of the year.
Daniil Medvedev well and truly established himself as one of the top players on the planet in 2019 when he won two Masters 1000 titles and reached the US Open final. The following year, he won the ATP Finals by beating Dominic Thiem in the final.
2021 was a special year for Daniil Medvedev as he won his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open by beating Djokovic in the final.
Daniil Medvedev reached the final of the Australian Open this season but lost to Rafael Nadal despite being two sets up. He became World No. 1 in February.
#8 Gianluigi Quinzi
Gianluigi Quinzi was seeded eighth at the inaugural edition of the NextGen ATP Finals in 2017 and finished last in his group after losing all of his matches against Andrey Rublev, Denis Shapovalov and Chung Hyeon.
The Italian, who attained great success on the junior circuit, found it hard to make his mark as a senior professional and eventually announced his retirement in 2021.
“The moment I realized that I couldn't enter the top 100, I told myself that I had to reflect and understand what to do," Quinzi said. "I couldn't restart and start over with enthusiasm. When you start winning very young, losing becomes a tragedy. And it was like that for me. After 20 years of sacrifice, I gave up on my goals," Quinzi said.
