Friends Face Off in Jeddah Semifinals
Under Jeddah’s arena lights, close bonds strain as Learner Tien battles Nishesh Basavareddy and Alexander Blockx takes on Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, each duel one win from the Next Gen ATP Finals final.
In the charged air of Jeddah, the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF builds to its Saturday climax, where young talents turn rivals for a shot at the under-21 title. Learner Tien, the left-handed American who broke into the Top 30 last November with his first tour-level win in Metz, carries an eight-match streak into a matchup against countryman Nishesh Basavareddy not before 9 p.m. local time. Belgian Alexander Blockx faces Norwegian Nicolai Budkov Kjaer at 7 p.m., two friends whose junior paths crossed now separated by the net in this fast-paced format.
These semifinals draw from seasons of grind and growth, with players who once shared practice courts now dissecting each other’s games under the pressure of a global stage. Tien and Basavareddy, the only repeat entrants this year, bring baseline depth honed through Challengers and qualifiers. Blockx and Budkov Kjaer add power from their junior Slam triumphs, setting up clashes where tactics meet emotion on the quick indoor hard courts.
“We’ve played a decent bit since we were very young,” Tien said of Basavareddy. “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’ll be cool to share the court with him.”
All-American baseline duel tests streaks
Tien’s lefty serve slices wide to pull Basavareddy off the baseline, opening angles for inside-out forehands that dominated their lone ATP meeting at Wimbledon, a 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-2 victory this year. Basavareddy, the sixth seed, counters with crosscourt backhands that pin opponents deep, his game sharpened by a recent switch to coach Gilles Cervara, who previously guided Daniil Medvedev through tactical mazes. Under the guidance of former World No. 2 Michael Chang since August, Tien mixes heavy topspin with drop shots to disrupt rhythm, but the no-ad, first-to-four scoring demands flawless execution in short rallies.
Their shared history amplifies the mental stakes—years of facing off in U.S. events mean each knows the other’s tendencies, turning this into a chess match of adjustments. Basavareddy’s four Challenger titles this season fuel his confidence, yet Tien’s streak, built across varied surfaces, hangs on maintaining control against a right-hander who thrives on steady exchanges. As the Jeddah crowd builds anticipation for the later start, every point carries the weight of last year’s finalist experience clashing with rising momentum.
Power serves clash in friendship-forged battle
Opening the evening, Blockx and Budkov Kjaer unleash serves averaging 11 aces per match this week, per ATP Stats, forcing quick decisions on a surface where balls skid low and true. Blockx, the second seed with a perfect 3-0 round-robin record, leans on down-the-line returns to neutralize Budkov Kjaer’s toolbox weapon, the big serve he credits for challenging top players. Their maiden ATP Head2Head revives junior memories—Blockx’s 2023 Australian Open boys’ title over Tien, Budkov Kjaer’s 2024 Wimbledon junior crown—now fueling pro-level intensity.
Budkov Kjaer, 19 and from Oslo, advanced despite a four-set loss to Tien on Thursday, his win over Rafael Jodar clinching second in Blue Group and marking him as the second Norwegian here after Casper Ruud. The fifth seed’s flat groundstrokes suit the indoor pace, but Blockx’s topspin forehand builds walls in crosscourt rallies, stretching endurance in prolonged points. Friendship tempers the fire, yet the format leaves no room for errors, with one break potentially shifting the entire semifinal.
These matchups encapsulate a year of transitions, from junior circuits to Challenger dominance, all converging in Jeddah’s electric close. Tien and Basavareddy’s tug-of-war promises tactical depth, while Blockx and Budkov Kjaer’s power exchange could echo with aces and winners. As Saturday night unfolds, one step remains to the final, where personal narratives sharpen into the next generation’s defining moments.
