The ATP NextGen Finals in Milan featuring the next generation of young players got underway yesterday and the event was showcasing a number of firsts in terms of potential new formats that could be introduced at some stage in the future. These were playing the best of five sets, but reducing the set to seven games with the tie break at 3-3 and no advantage to played at deuce. All line calls will be determined by Hawkeye live so there are no linespersons, there will be no lets, there will be a 25 second shot clock and players will be able to converse with their coaches via a head set at the end of each set to receive coaching advice etc.

Some but not all of these new rule change trials are likely to cross over to the main tour at some stage in the future, and for me it will be the end of set coaching, cancelling let calls and letting Hawkeye rule all line calls that are the most likely to be be implemented. In terms of the tournament and matches that got underway today second seed Khachanov lost his opener in four sets against compatriot and seventh seed Medvedev, third seed Shapovalov lost his opener against sixth seed Ching in four sets and fourth seed Coric beat Donaldson in straight sets.