Milan Groups Are Set
The groups for the 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals were set Saturday in Milan.
The 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz is making his debut at the 21-and-under event and will lead Group A alongside Brandon Nakashima, Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune.
Italian Lorenzo Musetti will carry home hopes in Milan at the fourth edition of the event and will compete in Group B. The 19-year-old is joined by Sebastian Korda, Sebastian Baez and Hugo Gaston.
Group A
Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
Brandon Nakashima (United States)
Juan Manuel Cerundolo (Argentina)
Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune (Denmark)
Group B
Sebastian Korda (United States)
Lorenzo Musetti (Italy)
Sebastian Baez (Argentina)
Hugo Gaston (France)
Alcaraz has enjoyed a breakthrough 2021 season, capturing his maiden tour-level title in Umag, before he earned his first Top 10 win over No. 3-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas en route to the US Open quarter-finals. The Spaniard will look to follow in the footsteps of previous Next Gen ATP Finals champions Hyeon Chung, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jannik Sinner.
Nakashima trained in Milan on Saturday after earning his place following an impressive year. The 20-year-old reached back-to-back tour-level finals in Los Cabos and Atlanta and arrives in form, after winning an ATP Challenger Tour title in Brest last week.
Six different countries are represented in the eight-man singles field, with the event to be held at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, from 9-13 November.
Musetti features in Group B following a standout season in which he rose from No. 128 in the FedEx ATP Rankings to a career-high No. 57 in September. Korda will rival the Italian in Group B after securing his spot. The American captured his maiden tour-level crown in Parma in May and enjoyed a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon in July.