2026 Guide
ATP Finals vs Next Gen ATP Finals: Complete Comparison
The ATP Finals and the Next Gen ATP Finals are two separate year-end tournaments, and in 2026 both are staged in Italy. They feature different players, run different formats, and hand out very different rewards: the ATP Finals in Turin crowns the season's best eight players with up to 1,500 ranking points, while the Next Gen ATP Finals is an experimental showcase for the best eight players aged 20 and under and awards none.
Are the ATP Finals Best of 3 or Best of 5 Sets?
The ATP Finals is best of three sets — every round-robin match, both semifinals, and the final. Sets are played to six games with standard advantage (deuce) scoring and a tiebreak at 6-6.
The Next Gen ATP Finals is best of five sets, but the sets are short: first to four games, no-ad scoring, and a tiebreak at 3-3. Matches usually finish faster than a best-of-three at the ATP Finals despite the extra sets.
Historical note: the ATP Finals championship match was best of five sets until 2008, when Novak Djokovic beat Nikolay Davydenko in the last of that era. From 2009 onward every match at the event has been best of three.
Full Comparison Table
| Feature | ATP Finals (Turin) | Next Gen ATP Finals (Italy) |
|---|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Top 8 singles players in the ATP Race to Turin | Top 8 players aged 20 and under in the Next Gen race |
| Age limit | None | 20 and under (born 2006 or later for 2026) |
| 2026 location | Turin, Italy (Inalpi Arena) | Italy |
| Sets format | Best of three sets | Best of five sets |
| Games per set | First to six games | First to four games |
| Deuce scoring | Standard advantage scoring | No-ad — deciding point at 40-40 |
| Tiebreak | At 6-6, first to seven points | At 3-3, first to seven points |
| ATP ranking points | Up to 1,500 points for an undefeated champion | None — exhibition event |
| Prize money | Roughly $15 million total pool | Roughly $2.1 million total pool |
| On-court coaching | Limited, under ATP Tour coaching rules | Allowed, with headset communication |
| Line calling | Electronic line calling | Hawk-Eye Live, no line judges |
| Round robin structure | Two groups of four, top two advance | Two groups of four, top two advance |
| Number of players | 8 singles players (plus 8 doubles teams) | 8 singles players |
| When held | Mid-November, season finale | Late November, after the ATP Finals |
How Does the ATP Finals Work?
The eight players who finish highest in the ATP Race to Turin — the calendar-year points list — qualify for the season finale. They are split into two groups of four and each player meets the other three in a round robin, so nobody goes home after one loss.
The top two from each group advance to the semifinals, which are straight knockout, followed by the final. Every match is best of three sets on an indoor hard court at the Inalpi Arena.
Points are awarded per win: 200 for each round-robin victory, 400 for winning a semifinal and 500 for winning the final, so an undefeated champion collects 1,500 ranking points — the biggest haul outside a Grand Slam.
How Does the Next Gen ATP Finals Work?
The Next Gen ATP Finals takes the top eight players aged 20 and under from the season-long Next Gen race. They are also drawn into two groups of four for a round robin, with the top two in each group reaching the semifinals and then the final.
Where it differs is the rulebook: best of five short sets to four games, no-ad scoring, a tiebreak at 3-3, Hawk-Eye Live line calling with no line judges, on-court coaching, a shot clock, and free fan movement during play. No ATP ranking points are awarded, though the prize money and the platform are substantial.
For the full rulebook, see our Next Gen ATP Finals format guide, and for the roll of honour since 2017 see the list of Next Gen champions.
Why Both Are in Italy in 2026
The ATP Finals remains in Turin, where it has been staged since 2021. The Next Gen ATP Finals returns to Italy for 2026 after three editions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia — bringing the event back to the country that hosted its first five years in Milan.
Read the detail in our 2026 Next Gen ATP Finals Italy announcement, and follow the qualification battle on the live Next Gen race standings.