Day 1 Preview: Fils Opens Next Gen ATP Finals Play In Jeddah

The first ATP-sanctioned event ever to be held in Saudi Arabia commences on Tuesday, when all eight players will be in action at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by NEOM.

Top seed Arthur Fils will face Italian Luca Nardi in the first Green Group match at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. Frenchman Fils is No. 36 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, having won his first tour-level title in Lyon earlier this year. Nardi, who was an alternate at the 21-and-under event in 2022, won an ATP Challenger Tour trophy in Japan earlier this month.

Dominic Stricker and Flavio Cobolli will follow Fils and Nardi onto court in the afternoon session. The 21-year-old Swiss Stricker reached the semi-finals on debut at the tournament last year, while 21-year-old Italian Cobolli is one of seven debutants.

In the evening session, Luca Van Assche plays Jordanian star Abdullah Shelbayh, with American Alex Michelsen facing Hamad Medjedoivc in Red Group. Earlier this year, second-seeded Frenchman Van Assche reached the quarter-finals in Hamburg, while Shelbayh became the first Arab man to win an ATP Challenger Tour title.

Newport finalist Michelsen arrives in Jeddah having won nine of his past 10 matches. Serbian Medjedovic won three Challenger Tour crowns this year and is coached by former World No. 12 Viktor Troicki.

ORDER OF PLAY – TUESDAY, 28 NOVEMBER
CENTRE COURT start 3:00 pm
[1] A. Fils (FRA) vs [7] L. Nardi (ITA)

Not Before 4:00 pm
[3] D. Stricker (SUI) vs [5] F. Cobolli (ITA)

Not Before 8:00 pm
[2] L. Van Assche (FRA) vs [8] [WC] A. Shelbayh (JOR)
[4] A. Michelsen (USA) vs [6] H. Medjedovic (SRB)