Arthur Fils exits Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah

Top seed Arthur Fils was eliminated from the Next Gen ATP Finals when he was beaten by Learner Tien who earned a berth in the semi-finals with the win.

The American beat the Frenchman 4-2 4-2 3-4(4) 4-3(5) in the do-or-die battle in Jeddah for the chance to advance out of the round-robin phase.

American Alex Michelsen also went three for three to top the Red Group after China’s Shang Juncheng retired with injury from their final round-robin match when it was at 4-1 1-1.

Michelsen will face Tien in an all-American semi-final.

France’s Luca Van Assche also earned a spot in the semis when he went 2-1 in the Red Group following a win over Nishesh Basavareddy of the United States.

An exciting semifinal lineup has emerged at the ATP Next Gen Finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, featuring an all-American clash and the tournament's youngest competitor. Americans Learner Tien and Alex Michelsen will face off in one semifinal, while Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca has advanced to the other match of the final four.

The tournament, exclusively for players aged 20 and under, has showcased impressive performances from rising tennis stars. World No. 20 Arthur Fils of France, who claimed ATP 500 titles in Tokyo and Hamburg this year, was notably eliminated by Tien in a masterful serving display during the group stages.

The event features innovative rule modifications, including four-game sets instead of the traditional six, no-ad scoring, and a shortened shot clock of 15 seconds when points last fewer than three shots. Matches are best-of-five sets with tiebreaks played at 3-3, introducing a faster-paced format to the competition.

This year's tournament offers substantial prize money, with participants receiving $150,000 just for competing. The potential total earnings for an undefeated champion could reach $526,480.