Jeddah Tension Peaks on Next Gen Day 3

In the humming arena of Jeddah, the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF barrels into its decisive Friday, where three semi-final berths ignite a frenzy of calculation and grit. Alexander Blockx has clinched his Red Group lead at 2-0, the sole qualifier so far, while Nicolai Budkov Kjaer mirrors that dominance in Blue Group. Learner Tien, last year’s finalist, braces to upend the Norwegian’s surge in the evening capper, after close friends Martin Landaluce and Rafael Jodar square off in their debut tour-level bout. Nishesh Basavareddy kicks off Red Group play against Justin Engel, with Blockx then facing Dino Prizmic in a rematch laced with revenge.

Basavareddy rebounds in Red Group opener

Nishesh Basavareddy steps up not before 2 p.m., hungry to elevate his 1-1 mark and surpass last year’s 1-2 Jeddah ledger. The American, now guided by new coach Gilles Cervara, absorbs the sting of a three-set reversal to Blockx, channeling sharper footwork into crosscourt backhands that exploit wide returns on this indoor hard. At 20, his second crack at the event sharpens instincts for quicker points, where stepping inside the baseline could neutralize baseline bombardments.

Justin Engel, the 18-year-old German and tournament’s youngest, chases his debut victory after two four-set setbacks. His baseline thunder—inside-in forehands that pierce defenses—earned him tour-level triumphs on hard, clay, and grass, second only to Rafael Nadal since 1990, capped by a 2025 Challenger crown in Hamburg as the year’s youngest winner. Yet consistency eludes him; tightening those heavy shots against Basavareddy’s resilience might flip the script, turning youth’s raw edge into a breakthrough hold.

The surface’s skid favors Basavareddy’s experience, but Engel’s unpredictability looms large, his slice approaches poised to disrupt rhythms in rallies that stretch endurance. A win here vaults the American toward semis contention, while the German eyes momentum to salvage a promising bow. Pressure mounts as every 1–2 pattern off the serve carries the weight of untapped potential.

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Blockx avenges Challenger defeat

Second from 2 p.m., Alexander Blockx defends his unblemished run against Dino Prizmic, the Belgian’s hefty serve and baseline rawness saving 12 of 13 break points faced, per ATP Stats. His Thursday tie-break escape—erasing three set points in the second against Basavareddy—underscores clutch nerves on Jeddah’s fast deck, where inside-out forehands pin foes deep. As the first Belgian to these semis in eight years, he eyes a perfect group, but February’s 6-3, 6-2 Lugano Challenger thrashing fuels a tactical overhaul.

Prizmic, now 1-1 after topping Engel, imports Croatian tenacity, his flat returns probing second serves in probing exchanges. The 20-year-old Croat thrives in crosscourt stretches that test foot speed, yet his one-set wobble exposed gaps to topspin lobs on this low-bouncing hard. Blockx might vary underspin slices to the ad side, opening angles for down-the-line winners, while Prizmic counters with straight-line aggression to force overhit errors.

This rematch blends power with precision, Blockx’s 2-0 buffer allowing bolder serves, Prizmic’s debut grit demanding he disrupt the big man’s setup. Victory solidifies the Belgian’s milestone, potentially accelerating a top-100 trajectory, as the afternoon heat amplifies the crowd’s pulse. Both 20-year-olds embody the event’s essence: raw talent tempered by high-stakes adaptation.

Spanish friends test bonds in Blue

Not before 7 p.m., childhood friends Landaluce and Jodar shelve their nine-year camaraderie for a survival scrap, both 0-2 debutants desperate to prolong 2025. Martin Landaluce‘s aggressive rushes have sputtered, flat groundstrokes skidding short against the court’s pace; he’ll target high-bouncing forehands to Jodar’s backhand, seeking inside-in finishes that evaded him thus far. The Madrid pair’s shared history adds emotional friction, turning volleys into veiled challenges.

Rafael Jodar, fresh from saving four match points in his career-highlight upset over Tien, must stem the 34 unforced errors that plagued his Budkov Kjaer loss. His high-risk baseline game—sharp 1–2 patterns yielding reward—demands reined-in swings, more crosscourt angles to evade Landaluce’s power on this unforgiving surface. Tension brews in every rally, where a forehand slice drawing the opponent forward could crack mental poise.

One advances, the other reflects; rankings hinge on this do-or-die, Landaluce stabilizing top-150 hopes, Jodar chasing Challenger breakthroughs. The arena’s roar will echo their bond’s strain, as tactical poise decides who extends the season. Childhood friends Landaluce and Jodar navigate rivalry’s edge, where familiarity breeds not mercy, but sharper focus.

Tien targets Norwegian’s perfect run

Second from 7 p.m., Learner Tien confronts Nicolai Budkov Kjaer in Blue Group’s thriller, the American’s No. 28 ranking—the field’s lone top-100—yet to fully ignite amid inconsistency. Four squandered match points against Jodar linger, but his four-set comeback over Landaluce revealed resurgence: crosscourt lobs breaking serves twice, varied pace extending points. Last year’s finalist leverages Jeddah savvy, stepping inside returns to tame flat bombs with underspin slices.

Budkov Kjaer, 19 and 2-0, pursues a historic 3-0 sweep as Norway’s first semi-finalist here, his baseline consistency—deep heavy topspin pinning returns short—overwhelming rivals. Four Challenger titles in 2025 fuel his surge, converting 7 of 10 break points with 1–2 setups that secure easy holds. Yet Tien’s all-court fluency could disrupt, mixing inside-out forehands to stretch the Norwegian beyond comfort on this speedy hard.

The math is unforgiving: Tien’s victory catapults him through, defending his finalist status; defeat ends the charge. Budkov Kjaer’s streak faces its sternest trial, expectations swelling with each hold. As night falls, their clash captures the tournament’s pulse—youth’s ambition clashing against proven mettle, forging paths to Saturday’s semis.