2026 location for Next Gen ATP Finals up in the air after Saudi Tennis Federation cancels deal with ATP

After completing a third Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, the ATP will depart from Jeddah for a different location. This is despite the fact that the Saudi Tennis Federation are only set to complete three of the five years on the deal signed.

The deal commenced in 2023 as the event took place in the Middle East for the first time following from the first five events being located in Milan, Italy. The likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz tasted success in the Italian city.

The ATP and Saudi Tennis Federation would then strike up a deal to confirm the tournament to be played in the Saudi Arabian city from 2023 through to 2027. However, this will not be the case. The 2025 event, set to take place between 17th-21st December at the King Abdullah Sports City, will be the last.

It is yet to be seen which country will take up responsibilities of hosting this competition, in which the eight best young stars on the ATP circuit take part. Last year's champion Joao Fonseca will return in an attempt to reclaim his title, with the likes of Jakub Mensik and Learner Tien looking to get their name onto the roll of honour.

The Next Gen Finals were first created in 2017. Similar to its cousin the ATP Tour Finals, it is a chance for the younger generation to have the spotlight shone brightly on them, giving them the chance to play in front of the tennis world for a prestigious award.

The rules are very different from what you are used to when watching the ATP Tour. It is best-of-five with sets going up to four games instead of six. Tiebreak commences at 3-3.

To qualify, you need to be 20 or younger. A Race to Jaddah has been going on throughout the calendar year, with ranking points determining the spot you will be slotted in. The top seven in the standings will make the trip to Jeddah, while an eighth wildcard will also get a ticket for the event.

The eight players are split into two groups of four. Each player will face off once against their opponents in those groups, with the top two moving into the semi-finals, where it becomes a knockout tournament.

Jeddah has seen this played out on two separate occasions, with a brace of different winners. Serbian Hamad Medjedovic defeated Arthur Fils in five sets in 2023, while Fonseca got the better of Tien to clinch his maiden title just over a year ago.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia have leaned more into the world of tennis. The lucrative Six Kings Slam has been held over the last two years as an exhibition event featuring six of the best stars on the ATP Tour. Sinner has come out on top in both of them, getting the better of Alcaraz in both 2024 and 2025. Currently, the WTA Finals are ongoing in the capital city of Riyadh, with the big news coming out that a 10th Masters 1000 event will be held in Saudi Arabia from 2028, specifically on the ATP calendar.

It is firmly going against the trend that the Next Gen Finals will not be playing anymore part in Saudi Arabia. It will be interesting where it will be taken to next. Time is against the ATP, who just have over a year to find a new location for the tournament which has given many young tennis stars the platform to showcase their immense talent.