Blockx, Tien Set Next Gen ATP Finals Title Showdown

Alexander Blockx
Alexander Blockx (photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour)

JEDDAH/WASHINGTON, December 21, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

A familiar theme of friends and foes was clearly on display during both of Saturday semifinal matches at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah.

With a pair of title-match berths on order, it became a big challenge for all involved to put aside friendships for a few hours with so much at stake. By the end of the evening, what began midweek with a talented field of eight competitors spread across Europe and the United States had whittled down to the final two: Alexander Blockx of Belgium and American Learner Tien.

Blockx powers his way past Budkov Kjaer

The first friends and foes confrontation in this year-end ATP Tour 20-and-under showcase took place during the last-four match between close friends Alexander Blockx of Belgium and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer of Norway – each looking to win their first ATP Tour title – followed by the all-American battle between last year’s finalist, Learner Tien, and Nishesh Basavareddy.

In a match-up of big hitters and ball strikers – and former junior champions – 20-year-old Blockx, the 2023 Australian Open boys’ champion, and Budkov Kjaer, 19, the 2024 Wimbledon boys’ champion, have both shown remarkable talent this week. The second-seeded Blockx (3-0) went undefeated and dropped just two sets, while No. 5 seed Budkov Kjaer went 2-1 with victories over Spaniards Rafael Jodar and Martin Landaluce, who were seeded seventh and fourth, respectively.

In their first meeting on the ATP Tour, the 116th-ranked Blockx put away No. 136 Budkov Kjaer, 4-3 (4), 4-3 (8), 4-2, in one hour and 22 minutes. In a battle punctuated by three tight sets and many long baseline rallies, Blockx won the semifinal match after striking his 27th winner. After he outpointed Budkov Kjaer 73-56, Blockx gestured a crisp, right-handed salute to his coach, Philippe Cassiers, and the rest of his team as he walked to the net to share a hug with his friend and opponent, Budkov Kjaer.

Blockx prevailed in the 23-minute first set, 4-3 (4), on his third set-point opportunity after letting the first two slip by in this high-quality, shot-making skirmish. Five of the nine winners Blockx struck were from his forehand side. He also hit four aces, dropped just two points on his serve and faced no break points.

Next, Blockx broke the 136th-ranked Budkov Kjaer in the fifth game of the second set with a brilliant forehand winner he placed deep in the corner, but was broken in the next game on a deciding point while trying to serve out the set. Then, in a marathon tie-break that exceeded 12 minutes and included several lengthy exchanges, Blockx put away the set, 4-3 (8), with his 17th winner of the match as the semifinal reached the one-hour mark.

Soon, Blockx pushed ahead 2-0 in the third set before being broken on a deciding point by Budkov Kjaer to get back on serve. However, Blockx moved to within a game of advancing with a solid hold for a 3-2 lead and, finally, broke Budkov Kjaer with an inside-out forehand winner that capped a 20-shot rally to close out his fourth victory of the week.

“I think it may have been straight sets but it was my most difficult match this week by far,” Blockx said during his on-court interview afterward. “I think the level we both played was really high. The second set, again it is just here, that the luck fell on my side a bit. We had some very long rallies and I am very happy I could share this moment with him.”

Blockx finished with 27 winners to 23 unforced errors, compared to 19 winners and 20 unforced errors by Budkov Kjaer. He won 77 percent of his first-serve points, saved four of six break points and converted three of seven break-point opportunities against his opponent.

For each of the players, who grew up competing against one another in juniors and continued their rivalries on the ATP Challenger Tour circuit, now they are reunited in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia competing for a championship final berth. It’s a good bet that regardless of how this weekend turns out, the friendships and rivalries will continue for years to come on the ATP Tour.

“We have been speaking about the Next Gen for a long time,” said Blockx, the first Belgian player to compete in the Next Gen ATP Finals, during his on-court interview Saturday after defeating Budkov Kjaer. “In September, we were talking: ‘Imagine if we made it to Jeddah and played each other there.’ So, it is amazing to have been able to share this match with him. He is one of my best friends on Tour so it was a really nice Saturday for me.”

Tien wins battle of Americans over Basavareddy

In the nightcap, a match-up of the only two players who competed in Jeddah last year, Learner Tien and Nishesh Basavareddy of the United States , both 20, brought experience with them onto the court – and each had a well-known and highly-regarded coach in their box, too. For Tien, it’s was 1989 French Open champion Michael Chang, and Gilles Cervara, who formerly guided Daniil Medvedev to a World No. 1 ranking and the 2021 US Open title, for Basavareddy.

The World No. 28 Tien, who was trying to become the first back-to-back finalist at the Next Gen ATP Finals since Alex de Minaur of Australia (2018-19), came into the semifinal with a 7-1 win-loss record since November – including his first ATP Tour title won at Metz, France. Tien eased past the 167th-ranked Basavareddy, 4-2, 4-1, 4-3 (3), in one hour and 12 minutes. He won by exuding poise under pressure and with confidence in his shot-making ability. They are the qualities that enabled the Irving, Calif. native to earn five Top-10 wins this season.

Basavareddy, from Newport Beach, Calif., advanced to this year’s last four after failing to make it out of group play in 2024. He was attempting to become the lowest-ranked finalist in tournament history. However, a cut on his left index finger, which required medical attention both before and during the match, hindered Basavareddy throughout the semifinal.

The two Americans had previously met once on Tour, with Tien winning a first-round match at Wimbledon this season in straight sets. This time, Tien won in straight sets, again. From first ball to last ball, he took control of matters and hit 26 winners while taking advantage of 25 unforced errors by his opponent. Tien problem-solved his way to victory by finishing with six aces, saved one of four break points, broke Basavareddy five times in nine opportunities and outpointed his opponent 59-41.

“I think one of my strengths is just hanging around in matches,” said Tien, a fighter, who improved his win-loss record 35-24 in tour-level matches this season. “I was trying to find a way through – just problem solving – and that gets me through a lot of matches.”

Around the Next Gen ATP Tour Finals

France’s Arthur Fils, a prominent fixture at the past two Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah – reaching the final in 2023, where he lost in five sets to Hamad Medjedovic of Serbia on his debut, and then returning as the top seed in 2024, where he advanced to the semifinals losing to Learner Tien of the United States – was on hand for Saturday’s semifinals at King Abdullah Sports City in his new role as Public Investment Fund (PIF) Tennis Ambassador. Fils conducted the coin toss before the first semifinal between Alexander Blockx of Belgium and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer of Norway.

Looking ahead to Sunday’s final

The Alexander Blockx–Learner Tien final, which begins at 8 p.m. in Jeddah (6 p.m. Central Europe, 5 p.m. London, 12 noon New York City), will be a rematch of the 2023 Australian Open junior boys’ final, won by Blockx. Tien called it “the most heartbreaking loss of my life.” It’s also the fourth time since 2021 that an American has reached the Next Gen ATP Finals title match.

• Alexander Blockx, the first Belgian player to reach the Next Gen ATP Finals title match: “It sounds exciting. I am going to prepare as best I can. I think physically I am feeling good, even though these are tough matches and you have shorter time between the points. The rallies sometimes go longer and with the no Ads, you don’t have too much time to think. So, I think the most important time here is to stay calm in the head and that helps me a lot.”

• Learner Tien, who is returning to the final for the second-straight year after losing the 2024 title match to Joao Fonseca of Brazil: “I remember I won the first [set] and had some chances in the second that slipped by. He just ran away with it. Obviously, I’m not going to let that happen again. I’m looking forward [to the final]. Alex is playing great this week. I’m really excited. … We’ve both improved [since we played the Australian Open junior final]. Hopefully, I can come out well.”

By the numbers

Alexander Blockx of Belgium, the first player from his country to compete in the Next Gen ATP Finals, is the 14th player in tournament history to go 3-0 in group play. He is the only player to enter the semifinal round undefeated (3-0) at this year’s Next Gen ATP Finals. Last year, there were two: Joao Fonseca of Brazil, who won the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals championship, and semifinalist Alex Michelsen of the United States.

“Quotable …”

“We’ve played a decent bit since we were very young. We grew up pretty close to each other, both from the States, so we’d see each other at a lot of Challengers. It’s been cool for him to make his way up as I’ve been making my way up. It’s great to see a familiar face at these tournaments, so I think it will be cool to share the court with him.”

– Top-seeded Learner Tien of the United States, during his on-court interview Friday evening, after defeating Nicolai Budkov Kjaer of Norway to set up a semifinal meeting with fellow American Nishesh Basavareddy.

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