Next Gen ATP Finals: Men's tour announces new tournament from 2017 for under-21 players

London: The ATP Tour has announced a new season-ending tournament for 21-and-under players beginning in Milan next November. Called the Next Gen ATP Finals, the tournament will feature the best seven 21-and-under players in the rankings plus a wild card. [caption id=“attachment_3115354” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] 19-year-old Alexander Zverev is one of the top upcoming youngsters on the ATP tour. AFP[/caption] While the tournament will follow a similar round-robin format to the ATP Finals, it will also feature rule changes and innovations yet to be announced. ATP executive chairman and president Chris Kermode says the event will “act as a launch pad for tennis innovation as we bid to make our sport more attractive to the changing consumer habits of the next generation of fans.” “The next generation of players coming through on the ATP World Tour is gathering huge momentum. We received significant interest from a number of cities worldwide, and we’re pleased to partner with the Italian Tennis Federation in Milan in this new venture,” Kermode was reported as saying by the ATP website. The event will award $1.25 million. The tournament will be held at Fiera Milano Stadium from 7 to 11 November and will remain in Milan for five years. While the season-long ATP Ranking points will serve as the criteria for entry, the tournament itself will not carry points. (With inputs from AP)